The weekly bars in Chart 1 show the 10-Year Treasury Note Yield ($TNX) reaching a new two-year high today and very close to breaching the psychologally important 3% barrier for the first time since early 2011. The TNX has also cleared a five-year resistance line extending back to 2007 (see circle). That leaves little doubt that bond yields are headed higher, and bond prices lower. Chartwise, the next potential upside targets are 3.22% (which is a minor peak formed during summer 2011) and 3.74% (which is a more prominent peak formed in early 2011). I've expressed the view that rising bond yields are a positive sign because it suggests more economic optimism. One way to measure that more bullish sentiment is to compare the recent performance of ecomically-sensitive stocks to more defensive consumer stocks.
