Monthly yield on ten-year government bonds in the Netherlands 2000-2023

Due to financial unrest caused by the coronavirus outbreak in March 2020, the yield of ten-year governments in the Netherlands dropped significantly. During the last quarter 2021, the yield on 10-year government bonds was on average -0.26 percent. The beginning of 2022 saw the start of a positive yield with the rate resting at an average of 2.65 percent as of the first quarter of 2023.

A ten-year government bond, or treasury note, is a debt obligation issued by a government which matures in ten years. They are considered to be a low-risk investment as they are backed by the government and their ability to raise taxes to cover its obligations. Investors track them, however, for several reasons. First, these bonds are the benchmark that guides other financial interest rates, such as fixed mortgage rates. Second, their yield will tell how investors feel about the economy. The higher the yield on a ten-year government bond, the better the economic outlook.