Why Are Bond Yields Rising? Will Mortgage Rates Follow?

Bond markets have tanked in the past several weeks, driving yields upward. Hundreds of billions of dollars have been wiped out in global bond markets. Ten-year government bond yields in Canada have risen 50 basis points (bps) in the past month as Treasury yields have jumped 32 bps. The rate increases in sovereign European bonds have been even greater, up roughly 60 bps for core Europe, albeit from extremely low levels. At today’s postings, 10-year Government of Canada bonds (GOCs) yields are at about 1.80% while 10-year Treasuries are at 2.24%.