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Bond futures bounce on Bessent choice for US Treasury

Bonds rallied, U.S. stock futures rose and the dollar eased in early trade on Monday as financiers cheered the consultation of fund supervisor Scott Bessent as the next U.S. Treasury secretary, figuring he would be a. voice for markets in Washington.

Standard 10-year Treasury futures were up 13 ticks,. ahead of the cash open and S&P 500 futures increased 0.4% to. simply shy of a record high while the dollar was weaker throughout the. board, raising the battered euro by 0.5% to $1.0484.

The marketplace view that Bessent is a 'safe hands' prospect,. stated Stephen Spratt, strategist at Societe Generale, a relief as. the threat of a more unconventional choice was priced out of markets.

Australia's share market touched a record high. Futures indicated a more powerful open in Japan and a weaker. start in Hong Kong. The week's trade is likely to be. lightened by Thursday's Thanksgiving vacation.

President-elect Donald Trump's consultation of a Treasury. secretary has been closely watched in bond markets as. expectations of tax cuts along with tariffs and an immigration. crackdown have stoked worries of inflation and huge deficits.

Bessent informed CNBC earlier in November, before his choice. as Treasury secretary, that he would recommend tariffs be. layered in slowly.

He has advocated, in a Bloomberg interview, for the U.S. to. grow its escape of big debts and, in the Wall Street Journal. for tax reform and deregulation, especially to stimulate bank. financing and energy production.

He spent his career working for billionaire financier George. Soros and kept in mind brief seller Jim Chanos in addition to running his. own hedge fund.

The yen was up about 0.4% to 154.15 per dollar.

The Aussie dollar bounced 0.6% to $0.6541 and the. kiwi, which slid to a 1 year short on Friday on. increasing bets on a dovish central bank, bounced 0.5% to. $ 0.5862. The Reserve Bank of New Zealand satisfies on Wednesday with. a 50 bp rate cut fully priced and markets suggesting about a 1/3. possibility of a super-sized 75 bp cut.

(source: Reuters)