Japanese government bond (JGB) yields were mixed on Friday, with the benchmark 10-year yield rising for a second straight session while the 20-year yield edged lower as investors weighed inflation risks and signals for monetary policy.
Here are a few details:
The 10-year JGB yield added 0.5 basis point (bp) to 2.715%. Yields move inversely to bond prices.
The 20-year yield eased 0.5 bp to 3.585%, on course for a 16-bp slide this week, the steepest weekly drop in more than a year following surprisingly strong demand at a sale of the debt on Tuesday.
U.S. Treasury and euro-zone yields moved modestly higher overnight, as steady U.S. economic data, along with higher oil prices tied to Gulf tensions, reinforced expectations for further central bank tightening.
"Crude oil prices continue to fluctuate, and inflation outlooks and interest rate trends remain highly susceptible to the influence of the energy market," Takayuki Miyajima, senior economist at Sony Financial Group, said in a note.
"The market remains mindful of the uncertainty surrounding fiscal management and monetary policy, and there is persistent wariness regarding the risk of rising interest rates, including in the ultra-long-term segment," he added.
Domestically, investors continued to monitor the Bank of Japan's tightening stance. A central bank official signalled on Thursday that further rate hikes could be needed to address inflation risks, and household surveys showed a sharp rise in price expectations.
The 30-year yield sank 1 bp to 3.820%.
The two-year yield, the one most sensitive to BOJ policy rates, was unchanged at 1.425%, while the five-year yield fell 0.5 bp to 1.945%.
