U.S. Treasuries trade tad lower ahead of March producer price index, short-term 3-year auction

The U.S. Treasuries traded tad lower Tuesday as investors wait to watch the short-term 3-year note auction and the producer price index (PPI) data, scheduled to be released today 10 by 17:00GMT and 12:30GMT respectively.

The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasuries rose nearly 1 basis point to 2.79 percent, the super-long 30-year bond yields remained also climbed nearly 1 basis point to 3.02 percent and the yield on the short-term 2-year hovered around 3.02 percent by 11:30GMT.

Ahead of tomorrow’s release of consumer price indices, today is scheduled to receive the latest producer price data for the month of March. A decline in auto fuel prices is likely to restrain the headline index, which is set to increase only by 0.1 percent m/m, but the core component should increase at a touch firmer rate in line with its six-month average of 0.2 percent, Daiwa Capital Market noted in its latest research report.

Also of note today is the NFIB small business optimism indicator, which is expected to moderate slightly from the February reading of 107.6, which was the highest since 1983.

The remainder of the coming week’s diary is likely to attract less attention but includes the February wholesale trade (today), March import prices (Thursday) and the February JOLTS report and preliminary April University of Michigan consumer survey (both on Friday). The Fed diary includes the minutes from the March FOMC meeting (Wednesday).

Lastly, speaking at the Bo’ao Forum for Asia, China’s President Xi Jinping warned against returning to a “Cold War mentality” and reiterated pledges for securing more market access to foreign investors including, inter alia, lower import tariffs on vehicles, protection of intellectual property of foreign firms, access to the insurance sector and expansion of the permitted business scope for foreign financial institutions.

Meanwhile, the S&P 500 Futures jumped nearly 1.15 percent to 2,648.00 by 11:30GMT, while at 11:00GMT, the FxWirePro's Hourly Dollar Strength Index remained slightly bearish at -82.57 (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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