Bond selloff pushes 10-year Treasury yield near 5% on deficit fears
Iran is using stockpiled components and working in underground facilities to continue assembling both liquid- and solid-propellant missiles despite U.S. and Israeli strikes on industrial facilities and a naval blockade that has complicated imports, U.S. and Middle East officials familiar with the matter told The Wall Street Journal. The effort underscores the challenge of fully disabling the country’s missile program.
In the same edition, a continuing selloff in U.S. government bonds has pushed the benchmark 10-year Treasury yield near 5%, the Journal reported. The selloff has been driven by rising oil prices, inflation concerns and proposals that could dramatically expand the federal deficit. Higher Treasury yields typically mean higher borrowing costs across the economy, including mortgages, student loans and corporate borrowing. Analysts warned that crossing the 5% threshold could trigger broader economic distress.
The housing market is already showing strain. Existing-home sales sank in August to their lowest level since June 2025 — a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.98 million — according to the National Association of Realtors. The real-estate industry had hoped that a housing-market recovery would begin this year, but a combination of rising prices and mortgage rates nearing 7% is making affordability a challenge for buyers, the Journal reported.
Venture-capital firm Andreessen Horowitz is opening a new regional headquarters in West Palm Beach, focusing on defense and national security startups through its $1.18 billion American Dynamism fund, the Journal reported. The move reflects what the Journal described as the state’s pivot from its crypto ambitions toward a burgeoning defense-tech center. Gov. Ron DeSantis said last week that Florida was investing nearly $23 million to strengthen the state’s defense industrial base.
Experts told the Journal they recommend focusing on classic disciplines that hone uniquely human skills and capabilities — fields like anthropology, mathematics and philosophy can foster critical thinking and adaptability, skills that AI cannot easily replicate. Callum Borchers reported for the Journal on why these fields are AI-resilient.
Apple’s lineup is bigger and more expensive this season, the Journal reported, and choosing a phone involves wireless carrier deals, payment plans and leasing options that can make the buying process more complicated.
The Journal asked readers whether they would buy a foldable phone. Tim Barrett of New Jersey wrote: “I have been using Samsung folding phones for over five years and love them mostly because they don’t require reading glasses to read mail, and for watching videos they are far superior to conventional cellphones.” John Holmes of Canada wrote that a foldable phone would “eliminate the usefulness of an iPad!” Jim Parker of Texas wrote: “Not for $2K!”
The retailer Artizia is expanding in the United States through its “Everyday Luxury” model, which pairs accessible prices with boutique-style personal attention, the Journal reported. In contrast with mass-market chains that have been cutting staff, Artizia relies on attentive saleswomen the retailer calls “style advisers” to help customers curate outfits.
As background, the same edition covered President Trump’s pledge at the GOP midterm convention to send each adult U.S. citizen a check if Republicans held control of the House and Senate in November’s midterm elections. A Journal analysis concluded that the total cost of the proposed payments would exceed what the government spends on national defense each year. Trump was scheduled to speak again tonight in Dallas, joined by Vice President Vance and other Republicans, the Journal reported.