SINGAPORE, Jan 11 (Reuters) – U.S. 10-year Treasuries
slipped in Asia on Friday but their moves were limited, with
traders looking to upcoming economic data for clues on
direction.
* Ten-year notes fell 3/32 in price to yield 1.910 percent
, rising 1 basis point from late U.S. trade on
Thursday and inching back in the direction of an eight-month
high of 1.975 percent set last Friday.
* The 10-year yield has climbed more than 15 basis points so
far in January, having gotten a lift after U.S. policymakers
reached a deal to avoid the “fiscal cliff” of tax hikes and
spending cuts that could have pushed the economy back into
recession.
The 10-year yield’s rise gained added momentum after minutes
of the Federal Reserve’s December meeting, released last week,
raised concern that the Fed could stop its asset purchases,
known as quantitative easing, before the end of the year.
* The 10-year yield has now probably moved into a range of
1.65 percent to 2.15 percent, said a trader for a European
brokerage house in Tokyo. “New data has to come in for the range
to expand,” he added.
Investors will be closely watching a speech that Fed
Chairman Ben Bernanke is due to give on Monday at the University
of Michigan for any further indications of how long the Fed’s
latest bond purchase program will last.
Much, however, is likely to depend on the economy, as
Bernanke has said he wants to continue stimulus until the
economy is on surer footing and unemployment drops
significantly.
Next week will also bring a slew of economic indicators,
including data on retail sales and consumer prices.
