Euro zone bond yields rise with oil prices on Iran strikes

BY Reuters | ECONOMIC | 03:19 AM EDT

LONDON, May 28 (Reuters) - Euro zone bond yields rose on Thursday after the U.S. and Iran traded strikes, threatening their ceasefire agreement and pushing oil prices up around 3%.

Germany's 10-year bond yield rose 2 basis points (bps) to 3.005%.

The two-year German bond yield, which is more sensitive to European Central Bank interest rate expectations, rose 4 bps to 2.617%. Yields move inversely to prices.

The U.S. carried out what a Washington official said were strikes on an Iranian drone operation near the Strait of Hormuz, after President Donald Trump rejected a report he was close to a compromise deal with Tehran.

In response, Iran's Revolutionary Guard targeted a U.S. airbase on Thursday.

"Markets remain wary in the face of headlines from Iran as renewed strikes overnight render an imminent deal less likely," said Rainer Guntermann, rates strategist at Commerzbank.

"Negative headlines leave markets in limbo, preventing sustained relief dynamics."

Brent crude oil rose 2.5% to $96.65 a barrel.

Money markets increased their bets on rate hikes and were last pricing in just under 65 bps of tightening from the ECB this year, up from under 60 bps late on Wednesday. (Reporting by Harry Robertson Editing by Shri Navaratnam)

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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