US 10-year notes steady in Asia; payrolls data awaited

05 Oct, 2012

 

US nonfarm payroll data is expected to show that employers added 113,000 jobs in September, while the unemployment rate is seen rising to 8.2 percent from August's 8.1 percent, according to economists polled by Reuters.

 

A report from consultants Challenger, Gray & Christmas sparked speculation for better-than-expected readings, as it showed planned job cuts announced for the month of September were at a 15-year low.

 

The Treasury will offer $66 billion in three-year notes, 10-year notes and 30-year bonds in next week's sales.

 

"Those who want to buy can do at next week's auctions, so there is no hurry to buy now," said Arihiro Nagata, head of foreign bond trading at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp.

 

The yields on 10-year notes stood at 1.66 percent, steady from late US trade on Thursday.

 

The 30-year yields were at 2.88 percent, also steady from late US trade.

 

Investors await the jobs data for clues on future US Federal Reserve policy, to see whether the US central bank has reason to take more stimulus steps.

 

The minutes of last month's Fed policy meeting released on Thursday showed that the central bank's third round of quantitative easing was seen as necessary to boost a meager economic recovery.

 

St. Louis Federal Reserve President James Bullard said late on Thursday the US central bank risked undermining market confidence with its aggressive policy actions, which remain in "crisis" mode several years after the financial crisis had passed.

 

Copyright Reuters, 2012

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