Long-Term Government Bond Rates Hit 19-Year High

Interest rates on 30-year U.S. government bonds climbed to 4.699% on July 30, 2026 — the highest in 19 years — after the Federal Reserve left rates unchanged and Chair Kevin Warsh's July 29 press conference spooked investors. Think of bond yields like the interest the government pays borrowers: when they rise, bond prices fall. The sell-off started with an 11-point jump after the Fed's decision.