News on Bond Markets

Government sets school bonds, Congress approves rebates

2010-03-17T11:30:19Z

<div><p>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - State and school districts can now tap their 2010 allocations of stimulus school construction bonds, which total $11 billion, the Treasury and Education Departments said on Wednesday, as the U.S. Congress moved to create more demand for the debt.</p><...

Fund Focus: Thornburg Investment Income Builder

2010-03-16T13:00:52Z

<div id="subtitle">Fund manager warns leveraged "locust" investors may be back in the bond market</div><div><p>This stock-and-bond fund's annual dividend has more than doubled since 2003 under Brian McMahon. He is a co-portfolio manager and chief investment officer of Thornburg Investment Management.</p><...

$4 billion yanked from stock funds in February

2010-03-15T13:00:13Z

<div><p>BOSTON (Reuters) - Investors in February pulled an estimated $3.7 billion from U.S. stock-focused mutual funds, dashing hopes of a rebound in demand for equities, while showering $19.7 billion on taxable bond funds, according to a report from Morningstar.</p><p>After investors pulled almost $26 billion from U.S. stock funds last year, analyst...

China cuts back US Treasury bond holdings: Treasury

2010-03-15T07:16:22Z

<div><p>China cut back its Treasury bond holdings in January but remained the top owner of US government debt, the Treasury Department said Monday.</p><p>China held 889.0 billion dollars in Treasury securities at the end of January compared with 894.8 billion dollars in December, t...

Japan Post bought US Treasuries in Oct-Dec: report

2010-03-14T21:15:12Z

<div><p>TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan Post Bank bought about 300 billion yen ($3.3 billion) in U.S. Treasuries in October-December, the first time it has purchased U.S. government debt since the start of its privatization process in October 2007, the Ukraine's credit rating a notch after new government was formed</div><div><p>Ratings agency Standard & Poor's has increased Ukraine's sovereign credit rating by one notch, saying reduced political risks after an election will help it raise money and access bailout loans.</p><p>Ukraine's parliament voted Thursday to appoint a new prime minister, Portugal raised euro990 million ($1.34 billion) Wednesday in a key bond auction that had more bids than bonds available, suggesting the government's austerity plan is easing market concerns about the country's ability to pay off its high debts.</p><p>Alberto Soares, preside...

GREECE DEBT INSURANCE

2010-03-09T21:46:33Z

Graphic shows monthly cost to insure $10 million in Greek bonds

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Greece says G20 to review financial speculation

2010-03-09T16:15:15Z

<div><p>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Greece, pressing for curbs on financial speculation it blames for worsening the country's debt crisis, said on Tuesday the idea would be examined by the Group of 20 leading powers at their next summit.</p><p>Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou told reporters after m...

China plays down concerns over US debt holdings

2010-03-09T07:15:52Z

<div><p>China sought Tuesday to allay concerns about a reduction in its massive investment in US Treasuries, saying it was a responsible investor and any changes were part of normal market operations.</p><p>"China has substantial foreign exchange reserves and ... the US T-bond market is very important to us," the head of the

China: US assets should not be 'politicized'

2010-03-09T00:15:26Z

<div id="subtitle">China tries to ease US concern over impact of debt holdings, saying matter not political</div><div><p>An official in charge of China's foreign reserves tried to ease American concern Tuesday about the political impact of its huge holdings of U.S. government debt and indicated Beijing has no plans for a big increase in its gold stockpile.</p><p>"This is a ...

Rates rise on reassuring jobs report

2010-03-05T14:30:24Z

<div id="subtitle">Interest rates rise in bond market on stronger-than-expected jobs report for February</div><div><p>Interest rates leapt higher in the bond market Friday after the government reported better-than-expected February jobs data.</p><p>The Labor Department said the unemployment rate held at 9.7 percent in February as employers shed 36,000 jobs. That was fewer than the 50,000 cuts analysts expected. The figures suggest the job market is slowly heal...

Greece issues bond, faces opposition to aid schemes

2010-03-04T14:16:42Z

<div><p>Greece launched a five-billion-euro (6.8-billion-dollar) bond issue Thursday to raise desperately needed funds and drew a very good response but faced stiffening opposition to its plea for help.</p><p>The government was likewise confronting mounting anger at home directed at tough new austerity measures aimed at curbing its huge debt and public deficit and restoring its tattered credibility on bond markets.</p><...

Greece issues bond, raises IMF appeal as strikes hit

2010-03-04T09:16:36Z

<div><p>Greece faced rising protests against fresh austerity measures on Thursday and said it could appeal for help to the IMF as it issued a 10-year bond vital to its debt repayment efforts.</p><p>"(An appeal to the International Monetary Fund) could cost in psychological and sentimental terms and we hope not to reach this point," government s...

How to make 19% dividends from bonds

2010-03-03T19:15:33Z

<div id="subtitle">Mortgage REITs could be right for your portfolio</div><div><p>Last week, I told my 12% Letter readers to invest in mortgage bonds. I can just imagine their reaction when they read my advice... "Tom, you want me to invest in mortgages?! Are you crazy? Aren't they the terrible investments that have been causing problems for banks and the economy in general?" Well... Yes, that's true. Between 2002 and 2008, Reuters) - The Internal Revenue Service has agreed to work more closely with the Securities and Exchange Commission to regulate the U.S. municipal bond ma...

China top holder in US debt, after all

2010-02-27T13:15:58Z

<div><p>China remained the top holder in the ballooning US debt last year, revised data showed, after earlier indications it had been eclipsed by Japan drew speculation about Beijing's motives.</p><p>Revised data released late Friday by the Treasury Depart...

Greek PM to meet Merkel, Obama amid debt crisis

2010-02-26T17:30:21Z

<div><p>ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece's prime minister announced plans on Friday to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel next week as signs grow that diplomatic efforts are under way to resolve his country's debt crisis.</p><p>Prime Minister George P...

Get ready: Interest rate hikes bring good and bad

2010-02-26T08:45:30Z

<div id="subtitle">Bonds away: Coming rate hikes likely to be bad for bonds but may help investors in other ways</div><div><p>The rate hikes are coming! The rate hikes are coming!</p><p>Eventually.</p><p>Days after the Federal Reserve seemed to sound the alarm that the era of near-zero interest rates is ending, Chairman Ben Be...

China may be hiding US Treasury bonds: experts

2010-02-25T19:16:44Z

<div><p>China, a top owner of US government debt, appears to be secretly buying bonds via third locations to hide its importance as a major creditor to Washington, experts told a congressional forum Thursday.</p><p>They said China-linked entities may be scooping up US bonds in London,