Wednesday saw yields on the 10-year T-note, or Treasury note, falling to 1.96 percent. As Marketwatch notes, Wednesday also saw a fall in the European benchmark Stoxx 600 index, as well as the Dow Jones Industrial Average, which could largely be attributed to fears over China’s economy and low oil prices. Analysts point to fear over the state of global markets as a catalyst for investors to seek safe assets. 

“But wait,” I hear you saying. “Why should I care? What is the 10-year T-note?” Think of it as a bond that lets you effectively lend the government money. And because the U.S. government is considered to be fairly safe, interest rates are often low. 

Click below to hear more about what exactly the 10-year T-note is, and why we as a nation are so obsessed.