Historically, interest rates are still low. But the pace of growth has startled investors. Many experts see the danger that a trend that has lasted almost four decades will be broken. Interest rates have only fallen since the 1980s. And this possible break in trend has also led to turbulence in stocks. Consumers, savers and home builders would do well to keep a close eye on developments in the bond markets. The interest rate is the central variable in the coordinate system of the financial markets. If this coordinate shifts permanently, it has massive effects on the value of all asset classes and products: from stocks to pension funds to life insurance or real estate.