The interest rate the U.S. government pays to borrow money for different lengths of time. Treasury yields don’t just influence how much the government pays to borrow and how much investors earn by investing in this debt, however; they also influence the interest rates individuals and businesses pay to borrow money to buy real estate, vehicles and equipment. Treasury yields also tell us how investors feel about the economy. The higher the yields on 10-, 20- and 30-year Treasuries, the better the economic outlook.