US debt tops $40 trillion as Treasury doubles bond buybacks to calm markets

The US Treasury moved on Wednesday to calm a bond market rattled by surging borrowing costs, doubling the size of its debt buybacks hours before separate figures confirmed that the national debt had climbed past $40 trillion (€34.4tn) for the first time.

European shares have opened lower after an advance in Asia, where South Korea’s benchmark Kospi gained nearly 6%

Bond yields edged higher after pulling back sharply during Wednesday's session.

Gross federal debt now amounts to 124% of GDP, as the 30-year Treasury yield trades at its highest level in two decades

Gross federal debt now amounts to 124% of GDP, as the 30-year Treasury yield trades at its highest level in two decades

Asian shares gain, with South Korea's Kospi up 6%, after the US Treasury expands its debt buybacks  Toronto Star

Shares are mostly higher in Asia, with South Korea’s benchmark Kospi rebounding more than 6%

Asian shares gain, with South Korea's Kospi up 6%, after the US Treasury expands its debt buybacks  AP News

The data marks a staggering new milestone in the country’s borrowing.

US debt hits record $40.047 trillion. Photo credit: APThe US national debt has crossed the $40 trillion mark for the first time, according to Treasury data showed on Wednesday. The milestone comes as rising spending on defence, Social Security and Medicare, alongside mounting interest payments, pushes federal borrowing

The federal government's IOU has now more than doubled in less than a decade, from $19.95 trillion when US President Donald Trump was sworn in for the first time in January 2017.

Treasury Secretary Bessent doubles US long-bond buybacks in the face of surging yields  reuters.com

U.S. Stocks Up as Treasury Buybacks Calm Bond Yields; Moderna Surges  wsj.com

The U.S. Treasury Department announced Wednesday that it will buy back about twice the usual amount of its bonds to quell rising interest rates.

The federal debt reached $40 trillion as the government adds red ink at a rapid rate. That's leading nervous investors to demand higher interest rates — pushing up borrowing costs for everyone else.

Federal debt has mounted amid tax cuts and trillions in pandemic spending, adding to the nation's interest payments.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced Wednesday that the Treasury Department would at least double the size of its government debt buyback operations as the Trump administration seeks to contain rising borrowing costs. The Treasury said it will increase the maximum size of its buyback operations for longer-dated n

Bitcoin Approaches $70,000 After Treasury Announces Buyback Expansion  Forbes

The Treasury Department on Wednesday said it will increase the maximum amount of U.S. debt it can buy back, a move met with declining bond yields and rising stocks.  Starting next month, the department plans to double the maximum value of longer-dated securities, specifically in the 10-to-20-year and the 20-to-30-year

NEW YORK, Aug 19 : Longer-dated global bond yields retreated from multi-decade highs, the dollar tumbled and gold jumped on Wednesday after the U.S. Treasury Department said it would boost liquidity support for longer-dated securities, following a broad selloff fueled by fears over swelling sovereign debt.The U.S. Trea

Bitcoin rises after the US Treasury doubles bond buybacks. Lower yields, a weaker dollar and liquidity hopes boost BTC, crypto and gold amid inflation fears.

Yields on the longest US bond pulled back from their highest levels since 2007 after the announcement.

BondsGovernment to repurchase more long-dated bonds to boost market liquidityThe U.S. Treasury Department said it would temporarily raise the upper limit for debt buyback operations. © ReutersIORI KAWATE and HIROFUMI TAKEUCHIAugust 20, 2026 01:20 JSTWASHINGTON/NEW YORK -- The U.S. Treasury will at least double the uppe

The action by Secretary Scott Bessent comes amid a selloff of longer-term U.S. government debt.

Yields, at recent highs this week, dropped after treasury’s vow to ‘provide greater liquidity support’ to bond market The US treasury is doubling its buyback of government debt in an effort to balance out the bond market and counterbalance investor concern over high inflation. The yield rate on 10-year, 20-year and 30-

The 30-year Treasury yield fell nearly 9 basis points after hitting a 19-year high the prior session

The Treasury Department said Wednesday that it will more than double the size of government-debt buybacks, sending yields sharply lower and stocks higher at the market open.

Sharp sell-off in recent weeks has sent borrowing costs soaring

Inflation accelerated to 2.9 per cent in July following the increase to the energy price cap, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics.

Bank of America strategist Michael Hartnett warns against investing in bonds as the U.S. continues to run large deficits.