By Peter Schiff

Now that yields on ten-year Treasuries have cracked through 5%, on their way to infinity and beyond, many on Wall Street are wondering how high rates must go before bonds begin to draw investors away from stocks. 
 
Most equity analysts are sounding the all-clear by proclaiming that 5.25% – 5.5% ten-year yields do not offer a significant threat to stocks. Although I agree that this is true, I don’t share their confidence that 5.5% represents any kind of a ceiling for rates.  The important issue is not the point at which bonds become attractive relative to stocks. Rather it is the point at which they regain their attraction to foreign central banks, whose massive purchases of Treasuries have lost steam amidst rising global rates and lost confidence in the U.S. Dollar, and to private foreign savers, who have already abandoned treasuries for better performing assets.
 
The truth is that the fundamental lack of appeal of Treasuries on the global market means that rates will rise considerably from here, which is very bearish for stocks indeed. Given the real rate of inflation (not the phony rate implied by the CPI) and the potential for a protracted decline in the value of the dollar, rates must rise significantly in order to convince overseas buyers to stay in the game.
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