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.