Short-term JGB yields rise to record high after last week's BOJ rate hike

BY Reuters | ECONOMIC | 08:21 PM EST

By Rocky Swift

TOKYO, Dec 22 (Reuters) - Japanese government bonds (JGBs) fell further on Monday, sending short-term yields to a record high, following the central bank's interest rate hike last ?week.

The two-year JGB yield, the one most sensitive to central ?bank policy, rose 1.5 basis points (bps) to 1.105%, breaking ?through the previous all-time high ?set from ?2007.

The 10-year yield, which climbed above 2% on Friday for the ?first time in 26 ?years, climbed another 5 bps to 2.07%.

The Bank of Japan on Friday raised ?its key interest rate ?to a ?three-decade high and signalled its readiness to continue raising rates.

Even so, the yen weakened sharply after ?the decision, as BOJ Governor Kazuo Ueda was not as hawkish about policy tightening as markets had anticipated.

"The 10-year yield easily breaking above the key 2% threshold can be seen as ?evidence ?of poor sentiment in the JGB market," Noriatsu Tanji, chief bond strategist at Mizuho Securities, ?said in a note.

"Unstable movements are likely to persist for the time being."

Japan's top currency diplomat, Atsushi Mimura, said on Monday authorities would take "appropriate" action against excessive exchange-rate moves, warning of the chance of intervention.

The 20-year JGB ?yield rose 3 bps to 3%. The five-year yield rose 3.5 bps to 1.52%, the highest since June 2008. (Reporting by ?Rocky Swift in Tokyo; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)

In general the bond market is volatile, and fixed income securities carry interest rate risk. (As interest rates rise, bond prices usually fall, and vice versa. This effect is usually more pronounced for longer-term securities.) Fixed income securities also carry inflation risk and credit and default risks for both issuers and counterparties. Unlike individual bonds, most bond funds do not have a maturity date, so avoiding losses caused by price volatility by holding them until maturity is not possible.

Lower-quality debt securities generally offer higher yields, but also involve greater risk of default or price changes due to potential changes in the credit quality of the issuer. Any fixed income security sold or redeemed prior to maturity may be subject to loss.

Before investing, consider the funds' investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses. Contact Fidelity for a prospectus or, if available, a summary prospectus containing this information. Read it carefully.

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