Group 1: Treasury Yields Overview - The yield on the 10-year Treasury note ended at 4.13% on October 3, 2025, while the 2-year note was at 3.58% and the 30-year note at 4.71% [1] - A long-term view of the 10-year yield shows significant historical context, starting from 1965, highlighting the impact of events like the 1973 oil embargo [2] - The inverted yield curve, where longer-term yields are lower than shorter-term yields, is a reliable leading indicator for recessions, with the 10-2 spread turning negative before recessions [2][3] Group 2: Recession Indicators - The average lead time to a recession based on the first negative spread date is approximately 48 weeks, while using the last positive spread date yields an average lead time of 18.5 weeks [4][6] - The 10-3 month spread also indicates recession lead times ranging from 34 to 69 weeks, with similar patterns observed in past recessions [5] Group 3: Mortgage Rates and Federal Funds Rate - The Federal Funds Rate influences borrowing costs for banks, which in turn affects mortgage rates; however, recent trends show mortgage rates declining despite the Fed holding rates steady [7] - The latest Freddie Mac survey reported the 30-year fixed mortgage rate at 6.34% [7] Group 4: Market Behavior and Federal Reserve Influence - Federal Reserve policy has been a significant factor in market behavior, particularly in relation to Treasury yields and the S&P 500 [8]

Core Insights - The 10-year Treasury yield ended at 4.20% on September 26, 2025, with the 2-year note at 3.63% and the 30-year note at 4.77% [1] - The inverted yield curve, where longer-term yields are lower than shorter-term yields, is a reliable leading indicator for recessions, typically turning negative before recessions [2][3] - The average lead time to a recession based on the first negative spread date is approximately 48 weeks, while using the last positive spread date yields an average lead time of 18.5 weeks [4][6] Treasury Yield Analysis - The 10-2 spread has shown a continuous negative trend from July 5, 2022, to August 26, 2024, with the last negative spread recorded on September 5, 2024 [3] - The 10-3 month spread also indicates a negative trend from October 25, 2022, to December 12, 2024, with fluctuations between positive and negative since February 26 [5] Mortgage Rate Impact - The Federal Funds Rate influences borrowing costs, and while typically a rising FFR leads to higher mortgage rates, recent trends show mortgage rates declining despite the Fed holding rates steady, with the latest 30-year fixed rate at 6.30% [7]

Group 1: Treasury Yields Overview - The yield on the 10-year Treasury note ended at 4.14% on September 19, 2025, while the 2-year note was at 3.57% and the 30-year note at 4.75% [1] - A long-term view of the 10-year yield shows significant historical context, starting from 1965, highlighting the impact of events like the 1973 oil embargo [2] - The inverted yield curve, where longer-term yields are lower than shorter-term ones, is a reliable leading indicator for recessions, with the 10-2 spread turning negative before recessions [2][3] Group 2: Recession Indicators - The average lead time to a recession based on the first negative spread date is approximately 48 weeks, while using the last positive spread date yields an average of 18.5 weeks [4][6] - The 10-3 month spread also indicates a lead time to recessions ranging from 34 to 69 weeks, with similar patterns observed as in the 10-2 spread [5] - The most recent negative spread for the 10-2 occurred from July 5, 2022, to August 26, 2024, while the 10-3 month spread was negative from October 25, 2022, to December 12, 2024 [3][5] Group 3: Mortgage Rates and Federal Funds Rate - The Federal Funds Rate influences borrowing costs for banks, which typically leads to higher mortgage rates when the FFR increases; however, recent trends show mortgage rates declining despite steady FFR [7] - The latest Freddie Mac survey reported the 30-year fixed mortgage rate at 6.35%, the lowest since October 2024 [7] Group 4: Market Behavior and Federal Reserve Influence - Federal Reserve policy has significantly influenced market behavior, particularly in relation to Treasury yields and the S&P 500 [8] - ETFs associated with Treasuries include Vanguard 0-3 Month Treasury Bill ETF (VBIL), Vanguard Intermediate-Term Treasury ETF (VGIT), and Vanguard Long-Term Treasury ETF (VGLT) [9]

Core Viewpoint - The Federal Reserve is expected to initiate a series of interest rate cuts starting in 2025, with projections indicating a decline that may continue into the third quarter of 2026 [2][3][4] Interest Rate Cuts and Market Expectations - The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) has reduced the fed funds target rate by 0.25% to a range of 4% - 4.25% [3] - Financial markets anticipate a steady decline in the fed funds rate, potentially bottoming out just below 3% by the end of 2026 [4][10] Impact on Households - Lower interest rates will affect American households in two significant ways: reduced income from investments and lower payments on loans such as mortgages [5][6] - The average yield on money market funds is currently 4.08%, which is favorable compared to the inflation rate of 3.1% [7][8] Money Market Funds Outlook - As the Fed reduces interest rates, yields on money market funds are expected to decline, potentially falling below 3% by late 2026 [9][10] - The current inflow into money market funds, which exceeds $7.3 trillion, may reverse as yields decrease [8] Yield Curve Dynamics - An inverted yield curve has led to higher yields on short-term bonds compared to longer-term bonds, driving inflows into money market funds [11] - A return to a positively sloped yield curve is anticipated, making longer-term bonds more attractive as front-end rates decline [12][14] Mortgage Market Implications - Lower interest rates are expected to facilitate cheaper borrowing, particularly for mortgage refinancing, with average 30-year mortgage rates dipping below 6.5% [16][17] - Increased mortgage refinancing activity is anticipated as homeowners take advantage of lower rates, which are more closely correlated with the 10-year Treasury yield [17][18] Overall Economic Impact - The net effect of lower interest rates is viewed positively, as they provide cheaper borrowing costs while also reducing income from short-term investments [20][21] - The favorable environment for equities and other risk assets is also a significant consideration for investors [22]

Group 1: Treasury Yields Overview - The yield on the 10-year Treasury note was 4.06% as of September 12, 2025, while the 2-year note was at 3.56% and the 30-year note at 4.68% [1] - A long-term view of the 10-year yield shows significant historical context, starting from 1965, including the impact of the 1973 oil embargo [2] Group 2: Inverted Yield Curve and Recession Indicators - An inverted yield curve occurs when longer-term Treasury yields are lower than shorter-term yields, with the 10-2 spread being a reliable leading indicator for recessions [2] - The average lead time to a recession from the first negative spread date is approximately 48 weeks, while using the last positive spread date yields an average lead time of 18.5 weeks [4][6] Group 3: Mortgage Rates and Federal Funds Rate - The Federal Funds Rate influences borrowing costs for banks, which typically affects mortgage rates; however, recent trends show mortgage rates declining despite the Fed holding rates steady [7] - The latest Freddie Mac survey reported the 30-year fixed mortgage rate at 6.35%, the lowest since October 2024 [7] Group 4: Treasury ETFs - ETFs associated with Treasuries include Vanguard 0-3 Month Treasury Bill ETF (VBIL), Vanguard Intermediate-Term Treasury ETF (VGIT), and Vanguard Long-Term Treasury ETF (VGLT) [9]