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Bond yields climb, stocks under pressure as Fed cut doubts resurface

U.S. Treasury yields pressed to a near fourweek peak on Wednesday, lifting their AsiaPacific equivalents and the dollar while pushing equities, as information planted brand-new doubts about the timing and degree of Federal Reserve rate cuts.

Crude oil increased for a fourth day to reach a four-week high amid speculation OPEC+ will maintain production cuts at a. meeting this Sunday.

Standard U.S. 10-year yields ticked up as high. as 4.568% in Tokyo trading hours, a level not seen since May 3,. following badly received 2- and five-year Treasury auctions. overnight.

Comparable Japanese yields strike the greatest. since December 2011 at 1.07%, while Australian yields. leapt to a more than three-week top of 4.428%.

Investors were likewise caught off-guard by a sharp enhancement. in a U.S. consumer confidence step for May. Financial experts had. forecasted a 4th straight month of weaker self-confidence,. especially after a tepid reading for the University of. Michigan's comparable study arise from Friday.

That has actually kept the market guessing about the strength of the. economy and sticky inflationary pressures, which in turn cloud. the outlook for the Fed's policy path.

Traders currently put the chances of at least a quarter-point. rate of interest cut by September at 44% following the data, from a. coin toss a day previously, according to the CME Group's FedWatch. Tool.

The dollar rose to a four-week peak of 157.41 yen. on Wednesday, while gaining about 0.1% versus both the euro. and sterling.

Australia's dollar slipped slightly to $0.6646,. quiting gains from earlier in the day following an unforeseen. dive in local customer inflation last month.

Whether incoming U.S. economic news sees the money market. pendulum swing back in favour of lower U.S. rates in Q3 will be. key to whether the Aussie can top this month's four-month peak. of $0.6714, National Australia Bank strategists composed in a. customer note.

Our base line view is 'yes it will' - we still have. September for a very first Fed alleviating, then another by year-end.

Regional stock exchange were lower on Wednesday, with the. significant exception of mainland China.

Japan's Nikkei slipped 0.8%, Australia's benchmark. dropped 1.2%, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng slid. 1.8%.

However, mainland blue chips edged 0.1% higher. after the IMF updated its financial growth projections for China.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares. dropped 1.4%.

U.S. S&P 500 futures pointed 0.4% lower following a. flat finish on Tuesday for the cash index.

UK FTSE futures shed 0.5% and German DAX futures. lost 0.3%.

In energy markets, Brent unrefined futures for July delivery. increased 18 cents, or 0.21%, to $84.40 a barrel. U.S. West. Texas Intermediate futures for July climbed up 29 cents, or. 0.36%, to $80.12.

(source: Reuters)