The Japan Times - Global bond sell-off deepens on inflation concerns

The latest bout of fighting between the United States and Iran has pushed oil prices higher, stoking the fears of tighter monetary policy that could weigh on economic growth.

Heavy selling sent the interest rate on 30-year UK government bonds to the highest since 1998, while the 10-year yield surged to a level not seen since the global financial crisis of 2007-08.

Japan's 10-year bond yield touched a 30-year high of three percent, reflecting worries about plans for massive government spending.

The yield on the 30-year US Treasury bond stood at 5.27 percent, not far from levels last seen in 2007, while the 10-year yield rose to its highest level since January 2025.

"The bond sell-off has... been a global affair," said Deutsche Bank's Jim Reid.

He said the "main culprit was the weekend escalation in the Middle East that saw the US and Iran exchange strikes for the first time since late July".

European stocks tumbled, with Frankfurt shedding more than one percent and London also falling as trading resumed after a public holiday.

Official data showed that eurozone inflation hit a three-year high at 3.3 percent in August, cementing expectations that the European Central Bank would raise interest rates next week.

Oil prices jumped around two percent on Tuesday after the US and Iran traded fire for the first time in weeks, and US President Donald Trump threatened to hit Iran "hard".

After six months of war, the conflict remains at an impasse, with Tehran keeping the strategic Strait of Hormuz closed and Washington maintaining a counter-blockade of Iranian ports.

"With Trump now threatening further action against Iran, including against Kharg Island, Iran's key oil export hub, supply worries are once again front and centre," said Susannah Streeter, chief investment strategist at Wealth Club.

Traders are now awaiting key economic data ahead of the US Federal Reserve's policy meeting on September 16.

The jobs and consumer price index reports could play a major role in whether the bank lifts rates, with bets on an increase surging after Fed chair Kevin Warsh gave a hawkish speech on Friday.

Asian stock markets on Tuesday followed Wall Street lower, with Tokyo, Hong Kong and Shanghai all falling.

The yen weakened against the dollar despite US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent telling CNBC he expected Japan to support the currency, which has lost half the gains made in a historic joint intervention after it hit a 40-year low.

The comments were seen as a signal for the Bank of Japan to tighten monetary policy when it meets this month.

In company news, shares in the fast-fashion giant Shein slumped 10 percent at one point on its long-awaited Hong Kong trading debut, having raised $1.7 billion in a high-profile initial public offering.

It later pared the losses to close almost flat.

Shares in the Taiwanese chipmaker MediaTek soared nearly 10 percent after US tech giant Nvidia announced it had injected $3.5 billion into the company.

- Key figures at around 1110 GMT -

Brent North Sea Crude: UP 1.8 percent at $92.09 per barrel

West Texas Intermediate: UP 2.4 percent at $87.79 per barrel

London - FTSE 100: DOWN 0.8 percent at 10,741.49 points

Paris - CAC 40: DOWN 0.3 percent at 8,307.04

Frankfurt - DAX: DOWN 1.1 percent at 25,978.55

Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.2 percent at 66,215.34 (close)

Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: DOWN 0.9 percent at 25,329.73 (close)

Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 0.2 percent at 3,979.89 (close)

New York - Dow: DOWN 0.7 percent at 53,185.90 (close)

Dollar/yen: UP at 160.11 yen from 159.77 yen on Monday

Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1594 from $1.1618

Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3536 from $1.3550

Euro/pound: DOWN at 85.67 pence from 85.74 pence

K.Okada--JT