Real 10-Yr Treasury Rate Lowest since April 2015

(Positive) The real 10-year treasury rate was 1.29 percent in April 2016. This was the lowest level for the real rate since April 2015, and it was the third month in a row that the real rate was below 1.5 percent. Since the Fed has announced it was raising its overnight rate, the real 10-year treasury rate has dropped each of the last five months. Apparently, the market does not see things the same way as the Fed. The change in the real 10-year treasury rate decreased for the fourth consecutive month, indicating the rate of increase in interest rates compared with one year ago is slowing down. The change in rates was at its slowest rate since May 2015.

The 10-year treasury rate is good leading indicator of the money supply, housing permits, consutrction spending, and consumer durable goods spending. A falling real interest rate should lead to more housing permits, construction spending, and consumer durable goods spending. This means that the real 10-year treasury rate is now a positive leading indicator for capital spending. 

The real 10-year treasury rate rate is an important leading indicator for the following industries: appliances; automotive; custom processors; furniture manufacturing; hardware; HVAC; metalcutting job shops; off-road/construction machinery; petrochemical processors; plastics/rubber; pumps/valves/plumbing products; textiles/clothing/leather goods; and wood/paper.