GILTS: Little Changed, Solid Demand At Auction, Curves Back From Highs

Jul-09 09:38

Gilts have recovered from session lows after the solid pricing and a decent enough bid-to-cover at this morning’s GBP4.5bln 4.50% Mar-35 auction.

  • Light pressure was seen into the bidding deadline, with strength in equities and crude oil markets also factoring into the pre-auction move, which countered the rally seen at the open.
  • Futures trade in a narrow 91.54-83 range, last 91.63.
  • Bears are in technical control. Initial support at yesterday’s low (91.42), while initial resistance comes in at yesterday’s high (91.98).
  • Yields 1.5bp higher to 1.5bp lower, curve flatter.
  • 2s10s registered the highest close since April yesterday (75.8bp), while 5s30s registered the first close above 140bp since ’17, but the latter is back below that level this morning.
  • Continued digestion of the global trade/tariff backdrop and ongoing negotiations between various countries and the U.S. continue to garner much of the macro focus.
  • GBP STIRs essentially unchanged on the day, showing ~51.5bp of BoE cuts through year-end, with 21bp of easing showing for August and 26.5bp priced through September.
  • Little to note in the BoE’s FSR, which noted that risks and uncertainty from geopolitical tensions and global fragmentation of trade remain elevated.
  • Expect macro & cross-market drivers to remain at the fore during the remainder of the day.

BoE Meeting

SONIA BoE-Dated OIS (%)

Difference vs. Current Effective SONIA Rate (bp)

Aug-25

4.007

-21.0

Sep-25

3.951

-26.6

Nov-25

3.784

-43.3

Dec-25

3.703

-51.4

Feb-26

3.576

-64.1

Mar-26

3.544

-67.3

Historical bullets

GILTS: Early Rally Fades A Little, Curve Flatter

Jun-09 09:34

Gilts are off session highs after looking to Tsys and Bunds for cues for much of the morning.

  • Futures trade as high as 92.17 before easing back to ~92.00, sticking within Friday’s range.
  • The contract still trades closer to recent highs. The latest rally undermines the bearish theme. Key short-term resistance at 91.87, the May 20 high, has been cleared. This signals scope for an extension higher and sights are on 92.79, a Fibonacci projection. Initial firm support has been defined at 91.44, the Jun 4 low.
  • Yields 0.5-2.0bp, curve flatter.
  • 2s10s ~61bp, recent breaks below 60bp haven’t been sustained.
  • 5s30s ~117bp, after forcing the first sub-120bp closes since early April last week.
  • GBP STIRs still trade around levels flagged pre-gilt open, showing ~40bp of cuts through December.
  • UK headline flow remains limited ahead of tomorrow’s labour market report and Wednesday’s spending review.
  • A reminder that the BoE has shifted its focus to  survey-based labour market inferences given the ongoing issues with the ONS data.
  • Meanwhile, the spending review contains plenty of political hurdles for PM Starmer & Chancellor Reeves to navigate (as we have already detailed in earlier bullets and our Global Week Ahead).
  • Expect our deeper previews of both events in due course.

BoE Meeting

SONIA BoE-Dated OIS (%)

Difference vs. Current Effective SONIA Rate (bp)

Jun-25

4.218

+0.6

Aug-25

4.062

-15.0

Sep-25

4.021

-19.1

Nov-25

3.879

-33.3

Dec-25

3.817

-39.5

Feb-26

3.725

-48.7

Mar-26

3.705

-50.7

EGBS: Early Rally In Futures Loses Steam; 2021 Low In BTP/Bund Holds For Now

Jun-09 09:33

The early rally in major EGB futures has lost steam, with Bunds and BTPs piercing but not clearing initial resistance levels. The move away from lows for crude oil prices may have also added pressure to FI markets. 

  • Headline flow has been light, with the Whit Monday holiday also limiting activity to some extent. The EGB supply calendar is empty for today.
  • BTP futures led the early rally, with continued interest in tightening the 10-year BTP/Bund spread. Futures reached a session high of 121.37 earlier (above last Thursday’s 121.32 high), but have since eased back to 121.16, still +53 ticks today. The 10-year BTP/Bund spread has found a short-term base around the 2021 low (~90.4bps).
  • Bund futures are +47 ticks at 130.84, unable to push through the 131.00 level (130.99 high). German yields are 3.5-5.0bps lower, with the belly outperforming.
  • Japanese investors sold JPY1.48trln (~around E9bln) of German bonds in April, according to balance of payments data released overnight. Net sales were the most since March 2014.
  • Limited reaction in the 10-year RAGB/Bund spread (38bps) after Fitch downgraded Austria’s rating to AA- (Outlook Stable) on Friday. Austrian fiscal fragilities are already well-documented. 
  • ECB’s Kazimir noted that ECB rates are in neutral territory, with the bank “almost at the end of the cycle of reducing key interest rates, if not already at the end of it.
  • The remainder of today’s macro calendar is light, with focus on news around the US/China trade talks in London.

BTP: Large short 2yr Basis trade

Jun-09 09:25

Large 2yr Short BTP Basis trade, suggest Cash seller:

  • BTSU5 8.25k at 107.98.