The 2-Year Japanese Yield Back in Negative Territory 📉
While the anticipation has been building for the Bank of Japan (BoJ) to exit its negative rate monetary policy in April 2024, the market seems to be taking a different turn. Today, the 2-year Japanese bond yield closed in negative territory. The BoJ has signaled its readiness to end the negative interest rate policy, but it's contingent on economic data and the outcomes of the March wage talks. Japan's path to normalization will be unique, as its economy still requires some level of monetary easing. The BoJ's terminal rate is projected to gradually reach around 0.5% over three to four years, potentially beginning with one or two rate hikes in the first year. However, the timeline for the BoJ to abandon its negative interest rate policy is now being seen as possibly extending further into 2024. Governor Kazuo Ueda's cautious statements, combined with unforeseen challenges like the recent earthquake, have led many economists to reconsider their forecasts, shifting expectations from January to potentially April or later. Stay tuned for more updates on this evolving situation. The Japanese monetary policy landscape is certainly one to watch closely in the coming months. Source: Bloomberg.
China vs. Japan in one chart! Japanese stocks have outperformed their Chinese counterparts by a whopping 63% since the start of 2023.
Source: Jeroen Blokland
BREAKING: Japan's Nikkei 225 stock index rises above 34,000 for the first time since March 1990. Breakout from a 30-year base!
- Breakout + test from 30-year base (blue circle) - Successful test of 2nd base (purple circle) - $NIKKEI now trading at 34-year high - Still below ATH recorded in 1989 - Yen is undervalued by ~40% on PPP-basis (source: ) Along with hitting a fresh 33-year high, Japan's stock market is now up 120% from its low in 2020. Both technology and health care stocks have been the main drivers. Recently, Warren Buffett began betting on a recovery of Japan's economy. Japan is back in a bull market.
Japan | BOJ Avoids Rate Hike Signal as It Stands Pat, Driving Yen Lower – Bloomberg
As expected, no change from the BoJ this morning on rates or the YCC. The vote was 9-0, in favor of no change. There wasn’t even a hint of change to the policy statement. No change in language around wages and inflation. The Japanese Yen weakened considerably on the initial press release. Nikkei 225 is up +1.5% Source: Ayesha Tariq, Bloomberg
Looming Threat to Japanese Bonds: A Setback for the Global Fixed-Income Rally?
Amidst the impressive year-end rally in the global fixed-income market, a significant development last night casts a shadow over this upward momentum. The yield on the Japanese 10-year bond surged by 12 basis points, driven by comments from BOJ Governor Kazuo Ueda and Deputy Governor Ryozo Himino, instigating a belief that change might unfold sooner than anticipated. The probability of the BOJ ending its negative rates policy this month skyrocketed to nearly 45%, as Himino's speech was perceived as relatively hawkish, amplifying the significance of the BOJ's December meeting to a live event. Adding to the market tension, the Japan 30-Year Bond Sale recorded its lowest bid-cover since 2015. Notably, the sharp steepening of the Japanese curve, from 20 bps in March to 80 bps at the end of October, coincided with a significant increase in US Treasury yields over the same period... Source: Bloomberg
Japanese investors are selling US corporate debt at a record pace 👀
Source: Bloomberg
The negative bonds world is gone, with also a Japanese bond maturing in 24 trading at 0% yesterday
Source: From Macro to Micro
*BREAKING* BOJ Buys More Bonds to Slow Rising Yields a Day After Tweak Central bank acts after 10-year yield touches decade high - BLOOMBERG
The Bank of Japan stepped into the bond market unexpectedly Wednesday to curb the pace of gains in sovereign yields, just a day after announcing it was loosening its grip on debt prices. The central bank’s unscheduled purchase operation statement came as the benchmark 10-year bond yield touched 0.97% — a fresh decade-high but still below the 1% cap it removed in favor of a more flexible policy setting. There was very little immediate market reaction to the move, with traders trimming one basis point off the 10-year yield before it recovered half of that. Bond futures pared losses and the yen, which is sensitive to shifts in interest rates, shed a fraction of its advance versus the dollar.
