TOKYO: Japanese government bond (JGB) yields rose on Monday, mirroring Treasury yields ahead of another US inflation reading and two auctions for JGBs later in the week.
US Treasury yields ticked up on Friday during a half-session after markets were closed the previous day for Thanksgiving.
Recent optimism among investors that the Federal Reserve could begin cutting interest rates sooner than expected wavered as economic data continued to point to a resilient economy despite stickier inflation.
The benchmark 10-year US Treasury yield last hovered around 4.5% during Asian trading hours.
JGBs followed suit, with Japan’s 10-year yield up marginally at 0.78% after falling to its lowest since early September last Tuesday at 0.69%.
Market attention is on another US PCE reading on Wednesday, which could push US Treasury yields down again - and JGB yields in turn - if the data shows more slowing in domestic inflation, said Takeshi Ishida, a strategist at Resona Holdings.
JGB yields bounce from multi-month lows as BOJ trims bond purchases
However, given that the Bank of Japan (BOJ) and the Fed are at opposite ends of the rate hike cycle and a “sense that (Japan’s) yields fell too much last week,” any drop in JGB yields should be relatively contained near the current range, he said.
The BOJ is expected to begin exiting from its ultra-loose monetary policy sometime next year, with more than half of the economists polled by Reuters expecting a move at its April meeting.
The 20-year JGB yield rose 1.5 basis points (bps) to 1.505%.
The 30-year JGB yield was up 2.5 bps at 1.705%.
The 40-year JGB yield was last untraded ahead of an auction for the bond on Tuesday.
An auction will also be held for the two-year note on Thursday.
The two-year JGB yield held flat at 0.060%.
Both auctions should pass without much of a fuss, said Ishida.
Comments