The current bond-market sell-off, characterized by surging yields, is surpassing some of the most severe market downturns from previous eras.

According to Bloomberg, losses in Treasury bonds with maturities of 10 years or more have amounted to 46% since March 2020, and the 30-year bond has seen a decline of 53%.

These losses are approaching the magnitude of stock-market declines observed during some of the most significant crashes in recent history, such as the 49% drop following the bursting of the dot-com bubble and the 57% slump in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis.

When compared to previous bond-market crises, the current unraveling in long-term Treasurys stands out as one of the most extreme in history, Business Insider reported.

The losses are more than twice as substantial as those witnessed in 1981 when 10-year yields approached 16%.

Back then, this crash occurred as former Federal Reserve Chair Paul Volcker grappled with historic inflation and pushed the federal funds rate to just under 20%.

While current interest rates are significantly lower than those levels, the central bank’s decisive move toward monetary tightening in the post-pandemic era has triggered a similar downturn in the bond market.

Written by staff