sign up log in
Want to go ad-free? Find out how, here.

US yields flatten further but NZ rates perk up at the long end. Powell faces confirmation hearings with pressure to wind back GFC reforms

Bonds
US yields flatten further but NZ rates perk up at the long end. Powell faces confirmation hearings with pressure to wind back GFC reforms

By Jason Wong

The US Treasury curve continues to flatten, with the 2-year rate up 1 bp to 1.75% and the 10-year rate down 1 bp to 2.33%.

The Fed’s outgoing Dudley speaks this afternoon about the US economy “10 years after the crisis” while tonight the new Fed chair-in-waiting Powell faces a grilling in front of a Senate committee. 

He is expected to be on his best behaviour and play with a straight bat, offering some continuity with current Fed monetary policy and being malleable to winding back some of the post GFC financial market reforms.

The NZ yield curve showed slightly higher rates yesterday. Low rates at the longer end of the curve have seen corporate paying interest perk up, seeing the 5 and 10-year swap rates up 2 bps to 2.63% and 3.13% respectively, while the 2-year rate was flat at 2.17%.

Daily swap rates

Select chart tabs

Source: NZFMA
Source: NZFMA
Source: NZFMA
Source: NZFMA
Source: NZFMA
Source: NZFMA
Source: NZFMA


Jason Wong is on the BNZ Research team. All its research is available here.

We welcome your comments below. If you are not already registered, please register to comment.

Remember we welcome robust, respectful and insightful debate. We don't welcome abusive or defamatory comments and will de-register those repeatedly making such comments. Our current comment policy is here.