US Treasury prices slipped on Thursday, continuing a week-long decline tied to prospects of ongoing Federal Reserve rate increases as the US jobs market picks up steam. Losses were trimmed briefly when Fed Governor Ben Bernanke did not mention specific economic worries, such as rising inflation, during a speech on monetary policy.
The latest leg of bonds' decline came despite data on the weak side of Wall Street forecasts. Dealers instead focused on prospects for a strong monthly payrolls report on Friday.
The benchmark 10-year Treasury note fell 9/32 for a yield of 4.40 percent, up from 4.36 percent late on Wednesday and near an interim target of 4.41 percent. Beyond that, technicians look for a test of the 4.55 percent to 4.60 percent zone.
Adding to the unease on Thursday was a Wall Street Journal report from Fed-watcher Greg Ip that said some Fed officials are increasingly concerned about inflation.
The sliding US dollar, the recent sharp increase in gold prices and still-high energy prices have all contributed to fears of rising inflation.
With inflation on their minds, dealers continued to lift curve-flattening trades, pushing the two-year/10-year yield spread to 137 basis points from 135 bps on Wednesday.
Bernanke stuck to theoretical issues, noting it was misleading to try to judge central bank policy from the federal funds rate alone. Rate futures price a 25-basis-point Fed rate increase in December and most likely a similar move in February, which would take the fed funds rate to 2.50 percent.
Weekly jobless claims were above expectations at 349,000 but were not seen as having a bearing on prospects for the November payrolls report.
Monthly payrolls are forecast to rise by a median of 180,000 jobs, following October's out-sized gain of 337,000.
That would put upward pressure on inflation and give the Fed more reason to continuing raising rates, he said.
Also on Thursday, October factory orders were reported up 0.5 percent, more than expected, and September orders were revised to steady from an earlier 0.4 percent decline.
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