Australian bonds remain flat amid muted trading session; U.S. Q2 GDP in focus

Australian government bonds remained flat during Asian session Friday amid a muted trading day that witnessed data of little economic significance. Investors will now remain focussed on the United States’ gross domestic product (GDP) for the second quarter of this year, scheduled to be released today by 12:30GMT for further direction in the debt market.

The yield on Australia’s benchmark 10-year note, which moves inversely to its price, slipped nearly 1 basis point to 1.232 percent, the yield on the long-term 30-year bond traded flat at 1.893 percent and the yield on short-term 2-year hovered around 0.884 percent by 04:55GMT.

US equity market retreated from a record high on mixed earnings report. The ECB was the main focus as it kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged but signalled that monetary stimulus may come. However, the outgoing President Draghi voiced concerns saying that the “outlook is getting worse and worse”, OCBC Treasury Research reported.

Regarding the U.S. Q2 GDP, consensus expectations are for a slowdown to 1.8 percent from 3.1 percent, the prior quarter. However, consensus also expect that personal consumption growth could pick-up to 4.0 percent from 0.9 percent in Q1 2019, the report added.

Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX 200 index remained tad 0.23 percent higher at 6,735.50 by 05:00GMT.