Sto uscendo, a più tardi
Treasuries tussle with profit-takers after rally
Thu Sep 23, 2004 09:37 AM ET
By Wayne Cole
NEW YORK, Sept 23 (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury yields held near six-month lows on Thursday, though the market was struggling to extend recent hefty gains in the face of profit-taking.
Bonds again received support from high oil prices (CLc1: Quote, Profile, Research) , which the market chooses to see as a tax on consumers rather than a herald of faster inflation. Higher energy costs were in turn seen squeezing profit margins and that made equities less attractive as a competitor to bonds.
Still, the benchmark 10-year note (US10YT=RR: Quote, Profile, Research) was only barely firmer in price, leaving yields hovering around 3.98 percent. Yields have now fallen almost 90 basis points from their peaks in July, dragging mortgage rates lower in the process.
The drop has raised the risk that borrowers will prepay their mortgages, forcing the holders of mortgage debt to hedge by buying longer-dated Treasuries -- a phenomenon known as "convexity hedging".
"The convexity rush is more in the mind of speculators than a reality right now," said one trader at a U.S. primary dealer. "There's been some buying here and there, but certainly no wave. A bigger trend has been to curve flatteners; everybody's into them."
Yields on two-year notes (US2YT=RR: Quote, Profile, Research) ticked down to 2.44 percent from 2.47 percent. The gap between them and 10-year yields now stands at 154 basis point, having contracted from highs around 245 basis point early in the year.
Five-year notes (US5YT=RR: Quote, Profile, Research) were up 1/32 in price on Thursday, nudging yields to 3.23 percent from 3.25 percent. The 30-year bond (US30YT=RR: Quote, Profile, Research) also added 1/32, leaving yields hovering around 4.77 percent.
Some thought mortgage-related demand could pick-up if 10-year yields broke below the 3.8 percent to 3.85 percent band, but others felt a deeper drop would be needed.
"For most mortgage holders, rates are just not cheap enough to create a massive wave of refinancing like we saw last year," said Gina Martin, an economist at Wachovia.
Furthermore, an increasing proportion of mortgages in recent months were adjustable rate mortgages not the fixed-rate type, and so less likely to be refinanced.
"We are not predicting it, but if rates drop back to 3 percent the story changes. For now, we expect little change in refinancing activity," said Martin.
On the other hand, dealers did suspect that long-bearish fund managers are finally capitulating and joining the rally. This shift was reflected in a sudden rush of demand for non-government debt which led to several bank and corporate issues being upsized on Wednesday.
More corporate paper is expected on Thursday, which could lead to choppy trade as dealers hedge and un-hedge the issues.
Economic data is thin on the ground on Thursday.
Initial jobless claims climbed to 350,000 from 336,000 the week before, somewhat more than the 340,000 expected. However. the seasonal and weather distortions have been so great recently that analysts put little store in the numbers.
Leading indicators for August are due out later in the morning and analysts look for a 0.2 percent drop, though the market pays scant attention to this series.
Otherwise, the highlight of a sparse Thursday session could be Federal Reserve Governor Edward Gramlich, who talks on "Monetary Policy: Strategy, Facts and Long-Term Goals" at around 10:00 a.m. (1400 GMT).
Traders hoped Gramlich would expand on the Fed's outlook for the economy and interest rates after Tuesday's hike to 1.75 percent. Fed officials have been doggedly upbeat on the economy in recent weeks and, should he stick to that view, it could give bond bulls pause.
There also will be interest in the minutes of the Fed's August meeting, due out at 2:00 p.m. (1800 GMT). While somewhat historic, the comments offer insight into the differing views on the board about the economy and future pace of tightening.