The 10-Year Treasury Pays 5.2%. The S&P 500 Only Needs 4% Earnings Growth to Keep Up.
A government-backed 5.2% is the stiffest competition an index fund has faced in 19 years. Does the bond win?
Overview
The 10-year Treasury yield reached 5.23% on Friday, Sept. 25, its highest level since 2007. In 2023, by comparison, the yield's highest close was just under 5%.
And the rise has been quick. The benchmark yield began 2026 at around 4.2%, stood just below 4.8% at the start of September, and was back under 5% as recently as Tuesday, Sept. 22. Sticky inflation and heavy borrowing by both the federal government and firms building artificial intelligence data centers have helped drive it higher.
Details
For savers, that's a real offer. Put $10,000 in a newly issued 10-year Treasury at around 5.2%, and the U.S. government pays around $520 a year for a decade before giving the $10,000 back.
Source
Originally published at www.fool.com.