BOND REPORT
Treasurys end unchanged after Beige Book survey
Earlier the market got a lift from news of record trade deficit
By Leslie Wines, MarketWatch
Last Update: 3:13 PM ET Oct 12, 2006
NEW YORK (MarketWatch) - Long-term Treasurys closed unchanged Thursday, after a new Federal Reserve Beige Book survey did nothing to change the fixed-income market's view that interest rate increases should stay on hold.
Earlier the market responded well to a Commerce Department report of a record trade deficit for August that signaled a likely drag on growth. Weaker growth should stir safe-haven demand for bonds.
The 10-year benchmark note closed unchanged at 100-23/32 with a yield ($TNX : CBOE 10-Year Treasury Yield Index
News , chart, profile, more
Last: 47.78-0.06-0.13%
$TNX47.78, -0.06, -0.1%) of 4.784%, down just slightly from 4.786% in late trade on Wednesday.
The 30-year long bond fell 2/32 to 93-21/32 to yield ($TYX : CBOE 30-Year Treasury Yield Index
$TYX49.11, -0.02, 0.0%) 4.913%.
The 2-year note rose 1/32 to 99-20/32 with a 4.848% yield.
The U.S. economy appeared fragmented into pockets of strength and weakness, but, in general, economic activity continues to expand, according to the latest Beige Book.
Four of the twelve Fed districts reported that growth had firmed in late September and early October, while two districts - Philadelphia and Dallas - reporting activity had "cooled. See full story.
"There's really not much reaction [in the bond market] at all," said Joe Balestrino, a senior vice president at Federated Investors. "The Beige Book was as expected and relatively benign. The mixed results show that we are in a growth pattern, albeit a slowing growth pattern."
Earlier prices drew support from news that the nation's trade deficit widened 2.7% to $69.9 billion from the previous record of $68.0 billion in July. Economists polled by MarketWatch had expected the deficit to narrow to $66.4 billion. See full story.
The August trade data could force economists to trim their forecasts for third-quarter gross domestic product, which have been coming down steadily to a rate below a 3.0% annual growth rate.
Action Economics described the bond market's reaction to the news as muted.
"A lack of reaction to the record trade gap suggests the bond market has become numb to the persistent news, with scarcely any reaction by the dollar as well, though the third-quarter GDP forecast may be impacted," the research firm said.
Separately, the Labor Department said that initial jobless claims in the latest week rose by 4,000 to 308,000, after declines in the two prior weeks. The total claims came in below MarketWatch economists' estimate of 312,000.
A reopening of a 10-year Treasury Inflation Protected Securities auction Thursday afternoon met with strong demand. The notes have a maturity of nine years and nine months.
The sale produced a high 54.4% indirect bid, the closely-monitored category that includes foreign central banks. The auction also had a solid 2.09 bid-to-cover - or bids submitted to bids accepted - ratio.
The high yield was 2.426% and the median yield was 2.390%
Leslie Wines is a reporter for MarketWatch in New York.