Australian bonds gain on last trading day amid silent session

Australian government bonds gained on the last trading day of the week Friday amid a silent Asian session that witnessed data of little economic significance.

The yield on Australia’s benchmark 10-year note, which moves inversely to its price, slipped nearly 1-1/2 basis points to 1.285 percent, the yield on the long-term 30-year bond edged 1 basis point to 1.934 percent and the yield on short-term 2-year traded tad lower at 0.940 percent by 04:20GMT.

Global risk appetite was hesitant with the US markets out for Independence Day holiday yesterday. European equities also traded in a lacklustre session whilst Asian bourses ended mixed as investors await tonight’s key US labour market report, OCBC Treasury Research reported.

The US’ nonfarm payrolls (NFP) is tipped to rise by 160k (from 75k previously), with the unemployment rate likely static at 3.6 percent (49-year low) and average hourly earnings accelerating slightly to 0.3 percent m/m (3.2 percent y/y), with a goldilocks print (neither too hot not too cold) seen as paving the way for the Fed to trim rates by 25bps at the end of July, the report added.

Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX 200 index remained tad 0.59 percent higher at 6,695.50 by 04:30GMT