Bonds Sink on Central Bank Announcement
U.S. 10-year Treasury bond prices fell today, after rallying yesterday on the
Fed rate cut. Today, the Fed and other central banks announced plans to inject
billions of dollars into the global economy in the coming months, to help the
world economy though the ongoing credit crisis. Bonds typically rally on
economic weakness and fall on strength, so traders took today’s economic news as
a big positive for the economy. Bonds are trading near 3-year highs, though, so
it’s also clear that most traders are positioned defensively in relation to
bonds.
The yen plummeted today, after a group of central banks announced measures to
ease to ongoing credit crisis. The U.S. Fed is among 5 countries who are
planning massive cash injections into the world economy, which should help to
alleviate investor pain. The yen has been in focus under the carry trade lately.
Traders have been buying yen on equity weakness, and selling on strength.
Today’s announcement by the banks basically means there will be less overall
market risk, which will lead to yen selling. The dollar was down against the
euro.
Crude oil prices rallied more than 4% on the central bank announcement.
Traders bought oil on speculation that the bank action will boost the economy
enough to cause a noticeable increase in energy demand. Oil has fallen in the
past month on concern that slowing U.S. growth would equate to low energy demand
levels. Natural gas also rallied more than 4% on the news.
Gold futures rallied fractionally today. Gold normally trades inversely to
the dollar and with crude, and neither factor seemed to push prices either way.
Instead, gold basically tread water in the face of a huge energy rally and
dollar weakness versus the euro. Copper futures fell about 1.7%.
Grains were higher today. Soybeans rallied 1.3%, and corn rose over 2%.
Stocks closed higher, but erased most of their early gains with the Dow,
which was up more than 2% gaining just 0.31% at the close. Click
here to read the rest of today’s
Stock Market Recap.
Economic News |
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