Following an upward trend over the previous two sessions, the treasury market experienced a slight downturn on Wednesday. Bond prices, although recovering from their earlier lows, remained in negative territory. Consequently, the yield on the benchmark ten-year note, which inversely correlates with its price, increased by 2.7 basis points, reaching 4.406 percent.
The decline in treasuries can be attributed to ongoing concerns about future interest rates, which overshadowed fears regarding escalating geopolitical tensions. Federal Reserve Governor Michelle Bowman, speaking in West Palm Beach, Florida, expressed greater concern for inflation risks than for the labor market. "We have not yet achieved our inflation target, and progress in reducing inflation appears to have stalled," Bowman stated. She also noted, "I perceive greater risks on the price stability front of our mandate, particularly as the labor market remains near full employment, though a deterioration in labor market conditions is possible."
Further weakness in the treasury market was observed in the afternoon after the Treasury Department reported that the auction of $16 billion in twenty-year bonds exhibited significantly below-average demand. The auction resulted in a high yield of 4.680 percent with a bid-to-cover ratio of 2.34, compared to an average ratio of 2.61 from the past ten twenty-year bond auctions. The bid-to-cover ratio is an indicator of demand, showing the level of bids per dollar of securities available.
Looking ahead, trading on Thursday may be influenced by responses to the latest U.S. economic data, particularly reports on weekly jobless claims and existing home sales, which are likely to garner attention.
