UK gilts climb as investors shrug-off better-than-expected February retail sales; BoE’s policy decision in focus

The UK gilts climbed Thursday after investors have largely shrugged-off the country’s better-than-expected retail sales for the month of February ahead of the Bank of England’s (BoE) monetary policy decision, scheduled to be unveiled today by 09:30GMT for added direction in the debt market.

The yield on the benchmark 10-year gilts, slumped 4-1/2 basis points to 1.48 percent, the super-long 30-year bond yields also plunged 4-1/2 basis points to 1.76 percent and the yield on the short-term 2-year traded nearly 1-1/2 basis points lower at 0.91 percent by 10:00GMT.

The conclusion of the BoE’s monetary policy meeting today seems unlikely to bring any game-changers for the markets, which are now pricing in two hikes to Bank Rate this year. At the time of its last meeting (and Inflation Report) the MPC stated that if the economy was “to evolve broadly in line with the February Inflation Report projections, monetary policy would need to be tightened somewhat earlier and by a somewhat greater extent over the forecast period than anticipated at the time of the November Report”.

"So, while we certainly don’t expect any tightening today, we also don’t anticipate any material change to the MPC’s broad message, although the policymakers might acknowledge that market expectations for future changes in Bank Rate have now shifted," Daiwa Capital Markets commented in its latest report.

Meanwhile, the FTSE 100 traded 0.51 percent lower at 7,003.50 by 10:05 GMT, while at 10:00GMT, the FxWirePro's Hourly Pound Strength Index remained neutral at 57.86 (a reading above +75 indicates a bullish trend, while that below -75 a bearish trend). For more details, visit http://www.fxwirepro.com/currencyindex

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