1256 GMT - The sharp increase in U.S. Treasury yields, with 30-year yields hitting their highest since 2007, comes despite recent weaker economic data reducing expectations for an imminent Federal Reserve interest-rate hike, capital.com's Daniela Hathorn says in a note. Long-dated yields are rising due to risks of persistent inflation as the Middle East conflict raises energy prices. Additionally, heavy government borrowing and growing competition for capital--including debt issuance associated with the AI investment boom--are lifting longer-term borrowing costs, the senior market analyst says. Continued disruption in the Red Sea represents yet more uncertainty, Hathorn says. Thirty-year Treasury yields hit a high of 5.337%, Tradeweb data show. Ten-year yields hit a 19-month high of 4.748%.