Global Market: Eurozone bond yields ease as Russia-Ukraine energy truce lifts sentiment

Eurozone government bond yields edged lower on Monday, while risk premiums on French and Italian debt narrowed slightly as falling energy prices eased market concerns following US President Donald Trump’s announcement of a limited energy-related ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, a report by Reuters stated.

Germany’s 10-year government bond yield, the euro zone benchmark, fell 2.5 basis points to 3.46%, while the two-year German yield, more sensitive to monetary policy expectations, declined 2 basis points to 3.07%.

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According to Reuters, Trump announced the agreement in a post on Truth Social on Sunday, saying Russia and Ukraine had agreed to an energy-related ceasefire. The development helped ease concerns about potential disruptions to energy supplies and their implications for inflation.

Investors have also increasingly bet that tensions in the Middle East will remain contained, reducing the risk of a sharp energy price spike ahead of the November US midterm elections. Lower energy prices could help temper inflationary pressures, although uncertainty surrounding geopolitical developments continues to influence the outlook for European monetary policy, the report stated.

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ECB rate expectations remain elevated

Money markets were pricing in a European Central Bank deposit rate of 2.73% by December, compared with the current rate of 2.50%. Expectations pointed to the rate reaching 3.22% by late 2027, indicating that investors continued to anticipate tighter monetary policy over the longer term.

The trajectory of energy prices remains an important factor for the euro zone inflation outlook, with any renewed supply disruptions potentially complicating the ECB’s policy decisions.

French, Italian bond spreads narrow

Risk premiums on French and Italian government debt also eased on Monday, reflecting a modest improvement in investor sentiment.

The yield spread between French government bonds, known as OATs, and German Bunds narrowed by 1 basis point to 136.50 basis points. The spread, which measures the additional yield investors demand to hold French debt over German government bonds, had climbed to 158.67 basis points in early October, its highest level since November 2011, the report stated.

Italy’s yield spread over German Bunds stood at 109 basis points, down from 129.74 basis points reached earlier this month.

The narrowing spreads suggest some easing in pressure on French and Italian debt, although both countries’ borrowing costs remain subject to fiscal concerns, political uncertainty and broader movements in euro zone bond markets.

Investors will continue to monitor geopolitical developments, energy prices and central bank rate expectations for clues about the direction of European government bond yields in the coming weeks, the report stated.

(Disclaimer: This article is based on inputs from agencies. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times)