--- title: "US Treasury bonds can no longer hold up, US stocks have started to fall, what should Walsh do?" type: "News" locale: "en" url: "https://longbridge.com/en/news/286725842.md" description: "Stanley Warsh has taken over as chairman of the Federal Reserve amid a challenging macroeconomic environment marked by rising inflation, volatile bond markets, and declining stock prices. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq fell prior to his appointment, while the yield on 30-year US Treasury notes surpassed 5.1%. Warsh faces a dilemma: he must navigate rising yields that threaten economic stability without resorting to aggressive rate cuts that could exacerbate inflation. Current stock valuations are also concerning, indicating potential risks ahead." datetime: "2026-05-18T06:40:36.000Z" locales: - [zh-CN](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/news/286725842.md) - [en](https://longbridge.com/en/news/286725842.md) - [zh-HK](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/286725842.md) --- # US Treasury bonds can no longer hold up, US stocks have started to fall, what should Walsh do? Author: Long Yue, Wall Street Insights Taking over the Federal Reserve, Warsh may have just taken on the hottest position in the global financial world right now. According to an analysis article published by Fringe Finance on May 17, Warsh was officially confirmed as the new chairman of the Federal Reserve last week with the most partisan vote in history. He faces a macroeconomic environment riddled with problems: accelerating inflation, soaring oil prices, bond market volatility, and soaring stock market valuations. On the Friday he was about to take over (May 15), the market gave a preview. On the Friday he was about to take over (May 15), the market gave a preview. The S&P 500 fell 1.24% and the Nasdaq fell 1.54% that day. However, Fringe Finance pointed out that the real "protagonist" of the day was not the stock market, but the bond market—the yield on the 30-year US Treasury note broke through 5.1% that day, as bond investors digested last week's hotter inflation data and the reality that "interest rates may remain high for longer than Wall Street expects." The bond market is the real source of risk. While financial media can call for "buying the dip" when the stock market falls 5%, the bond market is different. Analysis indicates that when Treasury yields rise rapidly, financial conditions tighten simultaneously: mortgage rates remain high, corporate financing costs increase, refinancing pressure on commercial real estate intensifies, and the federal government's own interest expenses begin to balloon. This is not an isolated market fluctuation. It will spread from the bond market to every corner—first-time homebuyers, corporate CFOs, private equity funds, and even the Treasury Department will all feel the pressure simultaneously. Meanwhile, the financial situation of American consumers is deteriorating. Data shows that the default rate on US auto loans is approaching the level of the 2008 financial crisis, and the credit card default rate is also hovering near the crisis peak. Consumers are increasingly relying on high-interest debt to maintain daily consumption as real wages are continuously eroded by inflation. Inflation data is also not optimistic: CPI remains at 3.8%, PPI is as high as 6%, and oil prices have exceeded $100. Fringe Finance directly points out the problem: in this environment, the Federal Reserve has no room to "cut interest rates at will" or restart quantitative easing—doing so would only add fuel to the already overheated inflation. **Wash's Dilemma: A Head-on Clash Between Ideals and Reality** This is precisely where Walsh's predicament lies. This is precisely where Walsh's situation is most awkward. For years, he has publicly argued that the Federal Reserve has intervened too deeply in the financial markets and should accelerate the reduction of its $6.7 trillion balance sheet, stop acting as the "permanent market undertaker," and return to traditional monetary policy tools. The article's assessment is blunt: "It sounds noble, disciplined, and very much in line with the idea that 'the market should stand on its own.' But now, the market is testing whether he truly lives up to his words." Fringe Finance points out that it's easy to give a speech about "moral hazard" when the stock market is booming and volatility is low. But when the bond market starts to "throw furniture" (i.e., sell off assets), long-term yields continue to climb, and pressure is applied to every corner of the economy simultaneously, that's a different story. Warsh faced three options, none of which were easy. Each of these options came at a cost: Allowing yields to continue rising—the market faced broader repricing, default rates rose, the housing market weakened, and credit pressure spread to the real economy. Aggressive interest rate cuts or a resumption of bond purchases—Inflation is already overheated; this move would be tantamount to adding fuel to the fire. Holding steady and observing—The bond market may make the decision for him. Fringe Finance cites the case of former British Prime Minister Liz Truss as a reminder: bond investors can make policymakers "bow down" faster than you might expect. Stock Market Valuation: Another Time of Danger Hanging Over Our Heads Meanwhile, US stock valuations do not reflect these risks. The Shiller P/E ratio is currently around 42, which is extremely overvalued. This valuation level is predicated on: rapidly cooling inflation, declining interest rates, strong corporate earnings, and ample liquidity—in other words, "almost everything needs to be going well, but right now many things are going badly." The article concludes: "This isn't a soft landing; it's a stress test disguised as a promotion. While everyone's focused on Nvidia's 4% drop one day, Walsh should be watching the US Treasury market—because that's where his real trouble begins." ### Related Stocks - [.NDX.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/.NDX.US.md) - [.IXIC.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/.IXIC.US.md) - [.SPX.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/.SPX.US.md) - [.DJI.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/.DJI.US.md) - [SQQQ.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/SQQQ.US.md) - [DJD.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/DJD.US.md) - [SPXU.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/SPXU.US.md) - [ONEQ.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/ONEQ.US.md) - [SDOW.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/SDOW.US.md) - [VOO.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/VOO.US.md) - [QLD.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/QLD.US.md) - [DDM.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/DDM.US.md) - [VGSH.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/VGSH.US.md) - [TLT.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/TLT.US.md) - [UDOW.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/UDOW.US.md) - [QQQ.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/QQQ.US.md) - [BIL.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/BIL.US.md) - [QQEW.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/QQEW.US.md) - [DIA.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/DIA.US.md) - [GOVT.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/GOVT.US.md) - [SPY.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/SPY.US.md) - [TQQQ.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/TQQQ.US.md) - [QQQM.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/QQQM.US.md) - [SHV.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/SHV.US.md) - [IEF.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/IEF.US.md) - [NVDA.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/NVDA.US.md) - [NVD.DE](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/NVD.DE.md) ## Related News & Research - [US business formations surge as side hustles boom amid inflation](https://longbridge.com/en/news/286432306.md) - [US stocks fall further from their records](https://longbridge.com/en/news/286927174.md) - [TREASURIES-Yields rally after slight dip in early trading](https://longbridge.com/en/news/286919787.md) - [Fed's Goolsbee; Inflation has got to be front of mind when Warsh starts as chair](https://longbridge.com/en/news/286812315.md) - [ROI-Long bond blues? 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