The 30-year US Treasury yield closed at 5.31% on August 17, 2026, creating direct competition with high-yield equities for income capital. Analysis shows that while higher yields boosted MetLife's (MET) investment income, leading to a 25.2% year-to-date gain, Realty Income (O) saw its shares fall 4.88% over the past month as its dividend yield barely surpassed the Treasury rate. Other companies like Ares Capital (ARCC) benefit from floating-rate portfolios, whereas Vornado Realty (VNO) and Verizon (VZ) face challenges from high leverage and rising refinancing costs.