US 30-Year Treasury Yield Hits 24-Year High Amid Mixed Job Openings, Softening Demand at Government Auctions

02:07 PM EDT, 09/29/2026 (MT Newswires) -- US 30-year Treasury yield hit a new record as a higher hiring rate hid beneath a decline in August job openings, while demand for bills at government auctions came in soft. The 30-year was up 4.6 basis points to 5.607% on Tuesday, after hitting an intraday high of 5.621%, its strongest level since 2002. The 10-year traded 3.9 basis points higher at 5.23%, after hitting an intraday high of 5.293%, the highest in 19 years. The two-year yield rose 1.3 basis points to 4.937%, after touching a new 52-week high of 4.96% earlier in the session. Job openings fell to 7.079 million last month, the lowest since March and down from 7.335 million openings reported in July, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The August print lagged the 7.228 million openings expected in a Bloomberg-compiled survey. However, hiring rose to 5.192 million from 5.146 million in July, lifting the hiring rate to 3.3% from 3.2%. Separations fell to 5.070 million from 5.128 million. Quits and layoffs both declined. The Conference Board's consumer confidence measure fell to 81.9 in September from 88.6 in August, versus an expected increase to 89.0 in a Bloomberg-compiled poll. The Treasury sold $85 billion of 42-day bills on Tuesday at a high rate of 3.970%, up from 3.870% reported a week ago. Demand softened as bid-to-cover slumped to 2.82 from 3.03. Tuesday's high rate compares with 3.560% reported at the beginning of the year, when the same tenor had a 2.89 bid-to-cover. The US government disbursed $54 billion of 364-day bills at a high rate of 4.400%, up from 3.980% at the sale a month ago. Demand weakened as bid-to-cover declined to 3.07 from 3.61. The high rate was below the 3.390% reported at the first January auction, when the same maturity securities sold with a 3.42 bid-to-cover. Globally, government bond yields rose across most maturities in Japan, while the picture in France was mixed. Rates were lower across the curve in the United Kingdom and Germany. President Donald Trump denied speculation about offering Iran sanctions relief, while Tehran rejected rumors it is "showing flexibility" on its nuclear position. Meanwhile, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, in an interview with CBS, said Tehran was ready for talks on its nuclear program but denounced "bullying or coercion," Reuters reported Tuesday. The front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil contract dropped 2.4% to $90.42 per barrel, and the global benchmark North Sea Brent retreated 1.6% to $103.59 per barrel.