The U.S. Treasury is expected to confirm next Wednesday, Jan. 31, further increases in government bond supply in its first quarterly refunding announcement of 2024. But is demand sufficient for the government to auction the debt at top prices and comfortable yields?
Treasury demand dropped off sharply at the beginning of the final quarter in 2023 as top foreign buyers such as China and Japan focused their energies on their own debt in support of their capital markets and currencies.
At this point yields began to move higher, peaking in mid-October at above 5%. The benchmark 10-year yield peaked at 5.021% on Oct. 23.
Subsequently, as markets became aware that the Federal Reserve’s rate hike cycle had peaked, bond yields fell sharply. Demand for Treasuries began to return as hopes improved that an economic slowdown wouldn’t deteriorate into recession.
“Last fall, the U.S. Treasury market was dominated by one question: who will buy…
