JGBs inch up after US bonds gain on jobless claims data, Fed

• Benchmark 10-year JGB futures rose 0.18 point to 152.35, but trading volume hit the lowest since Dec. 30, 2002 at 3,890 lots.
• The 10-year JGB yield fell 1.5 basis points to minus 0.005pc, while the 20-year yield fell 0.5 basis point to 0.325pc.

TOKYO: Japanese government bond prices inched up on Friday, in line  with a rise in US Treasuries after another abysmal reading on US jobless claims data and the U.S Federal Reserve's $2.3 trillion yen plan to shore up the economy.

Benchmark 10-year JGB futures rose 0.18 point to 152.35, but trading volume hit the lowest since Dec. 30, 2002 at 3,890 lots.

In the cash bond market, the 10-year JGB yield fell 1.5 basis points to minus 0.005pc, while the 20-year yield fell 0.5 basis point to 0.325pc.

The 30-year JGB yield fell 0.5 basis point to 0.445pc.

Short-term yields fell more, steepening the yield curve, with the two-year JGB yield down 3 basis points at minus 0.180pc. The five-year yield fell 2.5 basis points to minus 0.130pc.

US Treasuries yield fell on Thursday as the Fed said it would buy $500 billion into local governments and expand its corporate bond-buying programme to include some speculative-grade debt.

Meanwhile, data showed about one in ten Americans have lost their jobs during the last three weeks, with weekly new claims topping 6 million for the second straight time last week.