TREASURIES-Yields rise with oil prices, inflation stays stubborn

BY Reuters | ECONOMIC | 10:04 AM EDT

* Oil price increase and Middle East tensions drive yields higher

* April CPI shows inflation remains elevated with higher energy and AI spending

* Strong jobs data dims hopes for near-term Fed rate cuts

By Karen Brettell

NEW YORK, May 12 (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury yields rose on Thursday as oil prices increased on concerns about continued energy supply disruptions in the Middle East, while data showed that U.S. consumer prices rose at a brisk clip for a second straight month in April. Hopes for a peace deal on Iran faded after Donald Trump said a ceasefire with Iran was "on life support" as Tehran rejected a U.S. proposal to end the conflict and stuck to a list of demands the U.S. president described as "garbage."

April's consumer price data pointed to upward pressure from rising gasoline costs, though the inflationary impact of tariffs appears to be easing.

"On the goods side, we do seem to see tariff effects fading out of the inflation data," said Matt Bush, U.S. economist at Guggenheim Investments in New York.

"At the same time, though, we obviously have this new shock from rising energy costs," he added. "And then a third shock hitting the data is spillovers from all the AI spending."

Overall, the data supports the Federal Reserve keeping interest rates on hold as it continues to assess the risks of higher inflation, Bush said. The 2-year note yield, which typically moves in step with Fed interest rate expectations, rose 4.6 basis points to 3.994%.

The yield on benchmark U.S. 10-year notes rose 3.9 basis points to 4.451%.

The yield curve between two- and 10-year notes was last at 45 basis points. Stronger-than-expected jobs data has all but eliminated the prospect of near-term rate cuts. Friday's jobs report showed that employers added 115,000 jobs last month, above economists' projections for a 62,000 gain.

The Treasury will sell $42 billion in 10-year notes on Tuesday, the second sale of $125 billion in coupon-bearing supply this week.

A $58 billion auction of three-year notes on Monday saw soft interest. The government will also sell $25 billion in 30-year bonds on Wednesday.

(Reporting by Karen Brettell, Editing by Nick Zieminski)

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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