US Treasuries suffer profit-taking as stocks rally
Thu Apr 21, 2005 09:29 AM ET
By Wayne Cole
NEW YORK, April 21 (Reuters) - U.S. Treasuries were nursing losses on Thursday as a rally in stocks prompted profit-taking after recent hefty gains and data on the labor market hinted at unexpected strength.
The benchmark 10-year Treasury note (US10YT=RR: Quote, Profile, Research) lost 16/32 in price, while yields rose to 4.25 percent having finished at a two-month low of 4.19 percent on Wednesday.
Decent earnings reports helped equities (SPM5: Quote, Profile, Research) bounce a day after the major stock indices hit six months lows. The recent weakness in equities had fueled speculation about an economic slowdown and made fixed-income bonds look relatively safe in comparison.
But the bonds market took an initial dip after government data showed claims for jobless benefit dived to 296,00 last week from 332,000 the week before, far below forecasts of 330,000 as, on the surface, the figures seemed to counter other recent signs of economic softness.
However, the Labor Department cautioned that the numbers may have been distorted by the earlier-than-usual Easter Holiday.
Still, analysts noted this data covered the week of the monthly payrolls survey and could lead to upward revisions in job forecasts for April.
"For markets, the numbers are of course ostensibly bond bearish, equity friendly -- the world may not be about to end after all if employment is still growing," said Ray Attrill, an analyst at 4CAST.
"However, after the unnerving and somewhat inexplicable reaction to the more significant CPI data yesterday, we are not rushing to conclusions here," he added.
On Wednesday, core consumer prices jumped 0.4 percent in March, well above expectations, but after an initial slide bonds recovered strongly as investors chose to focus on weak stocks.
Some of that rally unwound offshore as foreign investors seemed more inclined to see the inflation data as raising the risk of more aggressive rate hikes from the Federal Reserve.
That view took a heavy toll on shorter-dated debt, which are particularly sensitive to expectations for Fed policy. The two-year Treasury note (US2YT=RR: Quote, Profile, Research) fell a hefty 6/32 in price, lifting yields to 3.60 percent from 3.49 percent on Wednesday.
That in turn led to a bearish flattening in the yield curve as the spread between two- and 10-year yields narrowed two basis points to 68 basis points, near a four-year low.
Five-year notes (US5YT=RR: Quote, Profile, Research) lost 12/32, taking yields to 3.91 percent from 3.83 percent. The 30-year bond (US30YT=RR: Quote, Profile, Research) shed 26/32, lifting its yield to 4.60 percent from 4.55 percent.
Still to come on Thursday was an appearance by Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, who testifies before a Senate Budget Committee hearing on Structural Deficits and Budget Process Reform at 10 a.m. (1400 GMT)
Fed Bank of Cleveland President Sandra Pianalto speak around 10 a.m. (1400 GMT). She is followed by Fed Board Governor Edward Gramlich, who talks on "Reforming Social Security and Medicare" at 2 p.m. (1800 GMT).
Also out later is the Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank April business activity survey. Economists in a Reuters survey forecast a median reading of 10.0 versus 11.4 in March.
Dealers will focus on two components of the Philly Fed in particular: prices paid and jobs. Prices paid could jump to reflect the early-April peak in crude oil prices.
Expectations for Wednesday's report were shaped by an unexpected dive in the New York Fed's Empire State index to just 3.12 in April, a two-year low.