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The global bond rout is raising borrowing costs across the economy and forcing governments, companies and consumers to confront the possibility that expensive debt is here to stay. Global bond yields have been climbing to multiyear highs, with Germany's 10-year yield reaching its highest since 2011, Japan's holding above 3%, U.S. 10-year Treasury yields touching their highest since November 2023 and UK gilt yields hitting a post-2008 peak in recent days. The latest leg of the sell-off is a reflection of a mix of high government debt issuance, an oil-price shock that has reignited inflation concerns and expectations that central banks may keep monetary policy tighter for longer. The move may mark more than another bout of bond-market volatility, with consequences stretching across economies and financial markets. “This is the continuation of a medium-term trend that’ll keep going for many years,” said Robin Brooks, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. Natalia Lojevsky, managing director at CIFC Asset Management, also sees scope for yields to rise further, with heavy debt issuance now colliding with renewed inflation risks. Governments: growing interest bill Governments are among those highly exposed to the rise in yields, said analysts whom CNBC spoke to. Sovereign debt loads are already elevated across much of the world, and refinancing maturing debt at higher rates will progressively increase interest costs and strain public finances. “The most vulnerable sovereigns are those combining large fiscal deficits, elevated debt burdens and reliance on external capital. France stands out among developed markets,” said Masahiko Loo, senior fixed income strategist at State Street Investment Management, citing the country’s fiscal slippage, limited political appetite for fiscal consolidation and electoral uncertainty. Loading chart... Across emerging markets, countries running twin deficits remain particularly exposed because higher global yields raise both borrowing costs and funding risks, he added. “When debt, deficits and external financing needs collide, markets tend to become far less forgiving,” he added. Authorities can attempt to contain yields through bond buybacks or changes to the amount and maturity of debt they issue. But such measures do not resolve the underlying imbalance between heavy borrowing and investor demand. “The higher yields move, the more uncomfortable the long-term fiscal trajectory looks for many countries,” Deutsche Bank wrote in a recent note. Japan illustrates the pressure particularly clearly. Government debt makes up more than 200% of its gross domestic product, leaving its finances highly sensitive to rising borrowing costs. National debt service is estimated to account for more than 25% of government expenses for fiscal year 2026. Companies: hitting growth plans Businesses will have to pay more to refinance debt or raise funds for expansion. Companies with large borrowing needs, weaker balance sheets or floating-rate debt are especially vulnerable. Small-cap companies tend to hold more floating-rate debt than their larger peers, meaning their interest expenses can rise relatively quickly as rates climb, according to Thomas Browne, portfolio manager at Keeley Teton Advisors. “The pressure points are the most leveraged ones that are accustomed to free money,” said Loo. In a similar vein, he highlighted that commercial real estate, private-equity-backed companies, direct-lending portfolios and lower-quality software businesses are among the most exposed. Many were financed on assumptions that capital would remain plentiful and inexpensive. The artificial-intelligence investment boom is adding another wrinkle. Technology companies are issuing enormous amounts of debt to build data centers and related infrastructure, putting them in competition with governments and other corporate borrowers for investors’ capital. “You have an enormous amount of debt being issued to fund different AI projects, and the issuers of that debt are fairly price insensitive,” said Larry Holzenthaler, senior portfolio manager at Catalyst Funds. Higher benchmark yields can lift financing costs even for healthy companies, potentially making some factories, data centers, acquisitions and other investments less economically viable. Consumers: K-shaped squeeze Higher long-term yields flow through to mortgages, car loans and other forms of household credit. The burden will not be shared evenly. “That long end of the curve is really important because it drives the cost of capital, not just for companies, but people with mortgages, the housing market,” said Holzenthaler. Lower-income consumers, who spend a larger proportion of their earnings servicing debt and buying essentials, are likely to feel the squeeze first, said market watchers. Wealthier households may benefit from higher returns on savings and are generally better able to absorb larger monthly payments. “Have this K-shaped dynamic with respect to consumers. The folks that are going to feel that the most in terms of what's the percentage of my paycheck that gets spent on a car payment, a mortgage payment, a student loan - lower-income folks are going to feel that a lot more versus a wealthy person,” Holzenthaler added. The effect may emerge gradually as fixed-rate loans mature and households refinance. But if pressure on lower-income consumers causes spending to weaken, the impact could spread across the economy. Stock investors: pressured by yields Equity markets have shown resilience, supported by strong earnings and optimism over AI-led productivity gains. But rising bond yields make safer government debt more attractive relative to stocks, while also reducing the present value investors assign to companies’ future earnings. “At some point, higher yields are a painful experience for equities,” Lojevsky said. “The equity market has been remarkable in the way that it's been able to look through or look past these rising yields … But eventually, it starts to catch up, and I think that's what's happening.” Still, higher yields bring one notable winner: new bond buyers. Larger coupon payments now provide a cushion against further price declines, unlike the low-yield environment earlier this decade. Deutsche Bank estimates that 10-year Treasury yields could climb to roughly 5.5% over the next year, before the capital loss from falling bond prices outweighs the coupon income investors receive. Over a two-year horizon, yields would need to rise to around 6.4% for total returns to turn negative. The calculation refers to nominal total returns, combining coupon income and changes in the bond's market price.
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