India bonds dragged by rise in oil prices, Treasury yields on fresh US-Iran hostilities

Indian government bonds slip in early trades on Wednesday, after a flare-up in Middle East tensions pushed oil prices and Treasury yields above key near-term psychological levels.

The benchmark 6.94% 2036 bond yield was at 6.7246% as of 10:00 a.m. IST, after closing at 6.6958% ‌in the previous ⁠session. ⁠Bond yields move inversely to prices.

The rise extends an uptick in the 10-year bond yield from Tuesday that ended a run of declines in the three previous sessions.


"Bonds are likely to remain offered for the day, as Brent crude remains above $75 per barrel, which is the only negative in the current scenario," a trader with ⁠a primary ‌dealership said.

Oil prices jumped in Asian hours on Wednesday, after the U.S. military launched a series of strikes against ⁠Iran, heightening concerns that a fragile truce was already faltering and raising supply worries, as the U.S. also revoked a general license authorising Iranian crude sales.

The 10-year U.S. Treasury yield climbed 7 bps over Monday's close to around 4.55% on Wednesday.

Indian bonds still continue to count on unwavering purchases by foreign investors, providing a strong floor to bond prices. These investors have ‌net bought debt worth 362 billion rupees ($3.81 billion) since the start of June.

Inflows under the Fully Accessible Route have remained strong after policymakers ⁠undertook measures to attract foreign capital last month, boosting the prospects of Indian bonds' inclusion in Bloomberg's Global Aggregate Index.

RATES

India's overnight index swap rates started the session with a paying bias, tracking bond yields and oil moves.

The one-year swap rate was at 5.76%. The two-year rate was at 5.91% and the five-year rate was at 6.16%, both up 4 bps each. ($1 = 95.0850 Indian rupees)