The Japan Times - Stocks bounce as global bond selloff eases

Nevertheless gold struck a new record high as investors continued to worry over mounting government debt, with Japanese bond yields hitting a new high.

Wall Street stocks were mostly higher, with the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite index up more than one percent after a US judge refrained from requiring Google to sell its Chrome web browser in an antitrust case.

Shares in the company rose over nine percent in morning trading before paring gains. Shares in Apple, whose lucrative deal to make Google search the default on iPhones was also spared in the court ruling, rose more than three percent.

"Overall, investors saw the outcome as supportive for big tech, showing that while regulatory scrutiny is ongoing, the business models of major players remain largely intact," said David Morrison, senior market analyst at financial services provider Trade Nation.

Meanwhile, a soft US labor market report helped boost investor confidence the US Federal Reserve will cut interest rates, a positive for equities.

European equities also firmed, but Asia's major stock markets were in the red.

Yields on 30-year Japanese government bonds rose to an all-time high of 3.29 percent on Wednesday, while 20-year yields reached their highest since 1999.

The selloff in Japanese debt mirrored similar moves in the United States and Europe on Tuesday, with investors spooked over substantial piles of government debt globally.

"Government bond yields have jumped sharply in recent days, largely because investors are demanding a higher return to lend to countries with heavy borrowing needs," said Richard Carter, head of fixed interest research at Quilter Cheviot.

It has been fuelled by "ballooning sovereign debt, political hurdles to fiscal tightening... and structurally higher inflation following the Covid disruptions and the ongoing trade war", said Ipek Ozkardeskaya, senior analyst at Swissquote Bank.

Investors in Japan reacted also to concerns that Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba might soon be forced to step down.

In the United States, the 30-year government bond yield eased back having come close to hitting the five-percent mark, reflecting concerns over the country's deficit and the impact of a court ruling against President Donald Trump's tariffs.

Bonds of leading European nations showed signs of stabilising, a day after the yield on Britain's 30-year gilts hit levels not seen since 1998.

Traders have turned to traditional safe havens, pushing gold to a fresh high of $3,567.41 an ounce Wednesday.

Investors are "choosing to hold gold as protection against a host of uncertainties including President Trump's tariffs, fiscal policy across major economies and rising bond yields," said Trade Nation's Morrison.

Prices have risen five percent over the last six days, with investors also nervous over the US Federal Reserve's future after Trump attempted to fire Fed Governor Lisa Cook.

Trump's intervention "raises questions about the long-term independence of US monetary policy -- a concern that gold naturally absorbs as a hedge against political interference", said Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo bank.

Oil prices dropped back amid expectations of excess supply in the coming months as OPEC+ nations are expected to further unwind production cuts.

- Key figures at around 1530 GMT -

New York - Dow: DOWN 0.3 percent at 45,147.46 points

New York - S&P 500: UP 0.3 percent at 6,437.21

New York - Nasdaq Composite: UP 0.9 percent at 21,466.75

London - FTSE 100: UP 0.7 percent at 9,177.99 (close)

Paris - CAC 40: UP 0.9 percent at 7,719.71 (close)

Frankfurt - DAX: UP 0.5 percent at 23,594.80 (close)

Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.9 percent at 41,938.89 (close)

Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: DOWN 0.6 percent at 25,343.43 (close)

Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 1.2 percent at 3,813.56 (close)

Euro/dollar: UP at 1.1682 from $1.1640 on Tuesday

Pound/dollar: UP at 1.3453 at from $1.3394

Dollar/yen: DOWN at 147.94 yen from 148.37 yen

Euro/pound: DOWN at 86.83 pence from 86.92 pence

Brent North Sea Crude: DOWN 2.3 percent at $67.55 per barrel

West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 2.6 percent at $63.89 per barrel

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T.Sato--JT