JGBs track Treasuries higher, pause in Nikkei rally helps

TOKYO: Japanese government bond prices tracked gains by U.S. Treasuries and rose on Wednesday, with a pause in long rallying Tokyo stocks also helping the debt market.

The two-year yield fell 1 basis point to minus 0.205 percent and the 40-year yield also declined by a basis point to 0.995 percent, its lowest since late June.

The benchmark 10-year yield stood unchanged at 0.025 percent.

Near-term market focus was on Thursday's 800 billion yen  ($7.03 billion) 30-year JGB auction and whether steady investor demand for super long bonds seen so far this week can be maintained.

Treasury yields fell on Tuesday, flattening the yield curve to a level not seen in a decade, amid uncertainty about the passage of a Republican-sponsored tax reform bill and diminished likelihood the U.S. government will introduce a Treasury bond that matures beyond 30 years.

Japan's Nikkei slipped as investors booked profits after the index reached a 26-year high the previous day.