JGBs little changed before 20-year debt auction, BOJ meeting

• The 10-year JGB yield was flat at minus 0.025pc, while the 20-year JGB yield fell 1 basis point to 0.280pc.
• Since then bond prices have fallen, which pushed the 10-year yield to nine-moth high of zero last week.

TOKYO: Japanese government bonds were little changed on Monday as investors refrained from taking big positions before an auction of 20-year debt on Tuesday and a Bank of Japan (BOJ) meeting ending on Thursday.

The auction will be closely watched to gauge demand for longer-dated bonds, which will help determine the direction of yields in the coming weeks.

The BOJ is not likely to announce any major policy changes, but investors would like to see how Governor Haruhiko Kuroda assesses a recent rise in yields on 10-year bonds before making any big trades.

Benchmark 10-year JGB futures fell 0.01 point to 152.27, with a trading volume of 10,257 lots.

The 10-year JGB yield was flat at minus 0.025pc, while the 20-year JGB yield fell 1 basis point to 0.280pc.

The 10-year yield reached a three-year low of minus 0.30pc in September.

Since then bond prices have fallen, which pushed the 10-year yield to nine-moth high of zero last week.

The 30-year JGB yield was unchanged at 0.425pc.

The five-year yield was flat at minus 0.130pc.

The two-year JGB yield held steady at minus 0.135pc.