Indian bond prices fell while the rupee weakened on Tuesday, as investors raised bets that the U.S. Federal Reserve would stay on course for policy tightening in the middle of 2022 after the announcement of a second term for its chairman Jerome Powell. The rupee was trading at 74.51\/52 per dollar by 0600 GMT, after touching 74.5725, its weakest since November 11, earlier in the session. It had closed at 74.3950 on Monday.<\/p>\n
The benchmark 10-year bond yield rose as much as 3 basis points to 6.38%.<\/p>\n
The dollar was near a four-and-a-half-year high against the yen while stocks and currencies in Asia\u2019s emerging markets were mostly down, after Mr. Powell\u2019s renomination for a second term as the Fed chief bolstered bets of a possibly quicker start to policy tightening in the U.S. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe key theme over the coming quarters would be policy normalisation and there is arguably greater clarity under Powell,\u201d economists at DBS wrote in a note. \u201cHe has turned incrementally hawkish since June\u2019s FOMC meeting and kicked off taper in November,\u201d they added.<\/p>\n
For domestic bonds, the movement in global crude oil prices will also be crucial, due to its impact on inflation. Traders expect bond yields to broadly remain in a 6.3-6.4% range until the RBI\u2019s monetary policy review in early December.<\/p>\n
Oil fell on Tuesday, reversing gains from the previous session, on growing talk the U.S., Japan and India will release crude reserves to tame prices.<\/p>\n
\u201cOil prices are muting the impact of Powell\u2019s reappointment but a surge in oil could easily push the 10-year yield out of the current 6.3%-6.4% range,\u201d a senior trader at a private bank said.<\/p>\n