DJ Debt Futures Review: Helped By Dollar, Inflation Expectations
By Allen Sykora
BEND, Ore. (Dow Jones)--Interest-rate futures in the long end of the
yield curve surged Friday, with traders citing a combination of factors that
included the soft U.S. dollar and ideas that inflation data next week will be
tame, analysts said.
Buy stops were also hit, enabling prices to uptick to their highs for the
day.
Dec 10-year notes settled up 12 ticks at 112-12.5, Dec Treasury bonds
closed up 27 ticks to 112-12, and Jun Eurodollars settled up 1 basis point to
96.97.
While some of the buying has been short covering in a market that
overall has had a softer tone since last Friday's strong employment report, a
fair amount also has been fresh buying, said Frank Lesh, futures analyst in
Chicago with Rand Financial Services.
Volume was described as light on a Friday sandwiched between Thursday's
Veterans Day holiday and a weekend. These thin trading conditions may have
exaggerated the move, contacts said.
A curve-flattening trade, which favors the long end, has been occurring.
As prices ticked higher, some buy stops were triggered as Dec bonds moved
up through the area around 112 and one-half, said Lesh. They got as high as
112-25.
Stops were touched in Dec 10-year notes as they passed through the area
around 112-08, continued Lesh. They peaked at 112-19.5.
Some buying may have been helped along as traders continued to digest
the Federal Open Market Committee's statement this week and concluded future
rate hikes will be continue to gradual rather than becoming more aggressive,
said Lesh.
As prices fell lately, yields rose, with the 10-year cash yield getting
up around 4.27% this week. This might have prompted some buying, since there
appears to be a feeling that the market is range-bound between roughly 4% and
4.25%, said Lesh.
There is a perception that while the economy is improving, it's not
accelerating enough to trigger major worries about inflation, said Lesh and
Bill Hummer, senior vice president in Chicago with Wayne Hummer Investments.
The Producer Price Index is scheduled for release next Tuesday, and a
tiny gain of 0.1% is forecast for October. The Consumer Price Index is set
for Wednesday and is expected to be up only 0.2%.
"It's a subdued economy, improving but slowly," said Hummer. "Inflation
seems to be contained."
Even if there was a bump in inflation, it likely would be thought of as
a one-month spike due to gasoline prices that would not have a lasting
inflationary effect, Hummer said.
Yet another factor that could be prompting some buying interest, said
Lesh, is the weakness in the U.S. dollar. The currency fell to 105.32 yen,
nearly matching Monday's low of 105.27 that was its weakest since spring.
This has prompted ideas that if forex traders continue pushing the
greenback lower, it could prompt foreign central banks to intervene by buying
the dollar, explained Lesh. And more than likely,
those dollars would then be
used to buy government securities.
Going forward, resistance can be expected in Dec 10-year notes around
113-04 and 113-18, said Lesh. Support can be expected around 111-28.5, the
low for the week hit on Wednesday, then the low of 111-16 hit last week after
a strong non-farm payrolls report for October.
Resistance in Dec bonds is expected at 113-05 and 113-30. Support is
anticipated at Wednesday's 111-08 low for the week, then last week's low of
111 even.
Resistance in Jun Eurodollars was projected at 96.99, 97.01 and 97.03.
Support was pegged at 96.93 and 96.88.
On the economic front Friday morning, the government reported that retail
sales excluding autos climbed 0.9%, topping the expectation of a 0.6% gain.
Overall retail sales rose 0.2% during October, matching the consensus
forecast.
Later in the morning, the University of Michigan reported that its mid-
November consumer-sentiment index rose to 95.5 from 91.7 at the end of
October. The consensus forecast had been for around 93.0.
-By Allen Sykora; Dow Jones Newswires; 541-318-8765;
[email protected]
(END) Dow Jones Newswires