30-Year Treasury Yield Hits 5.216%, Raising the Cost Bar for AI Data Centers and Chip Fabs

The US Treasury sold $25 billion in 30-year bonds on August 13, 2026, at a 5.216% yield — the highest since 2001. With the benchmark risk-free rate above 5%, the hurdle rate for long-duration projects like AI data centers, grid upgrades, and semiconductor fabs moves up, making multi-decade capital investments harder to justify.