30-Year TIPS Real Yields Near 3%, a Level Rarely Seen Since 2008

A bond selloff has pushed 30-year TIPS real yields to near 3%, a level rarely seen since the 2008 financial crisis. TIPS (Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities) pay a return above inflation, so near 3% means holders earn roughly that much annually on top of CPI. These same yields were negative for extended stretches in 2021–2022. Bob Elliott, writing on X on July 22, 2026, called it a "generational buying opportunity hiding in plain sight." Whether that proves right depends on where inflation and bond prices go from here.