France is paying almost 5% to borrow — near a 24-year high

France paid 4.865% to borrow for 10 years on Oct. 6, after briefly hitting 4.925%, little changed from Friday and near a 24-year high, the Wall Street Journal reported. That yield — the yearly return investors demand — is like interest on a government IOU. When Paris pays more, that cost can push up loans and mortgages for ordinary families.