Capture the POWER of LION    

November 21, 1997

          EFFECTIVE 5:00 PM  EASTERN TIME: 11/21/97    /_________________\
   KEY INDICATOR   CURRENT    CHANGE FROM LAST  YIELD  |6-Mth CD :5.80% *|
  --------------- ---------   ----------------  ------ |11th COFI:4.941% |
  3-month T-Bill: 5.10      - down  3 basis pnts-5.24% |6Mo-LIBOR:5.805% |
  10 Year T-Note: 102 10/32 - up    8/32        -5.81% |1Yr TBill:5.44% *|
  Long Bond.....: 101 08/32 - up   12/32        -6.03% |3Yr TBill:5.76% *|
  Dow Jones.....: 7881.07   - up    54.46              |5Yr TBill:5.81% *|
  FHLMC 60 day..: 7.33%     - down from 7.34% (11/20)  |10YrTBill:5.88% *|
  FNMA 60 day...: 7.31%     -      from 7.31% (11/20)  |30YrTBond:6.12% *|
                                                       |PRIME    - 8.500%|
      Todays Interest Rate/Loan Fee Pricing Trend:     |DISCOUNT - 5.000%|
                  ***  UP/STABLE  ***                  |FED FUNDS- 5.50  |
                  ===================                  |_________________|
                                               * Wkly Average ending 11/14

BOND MARKET COMMENTARY: 11/21/97 |
10:30AM EST: Bonds are down in early trading thanks to a surge in Asian markets overnight - Hong Kong stocks rose 4.95% and Japanese stocks rose 2.53%. U.S. Stock markets opened strong on the heels of the Asian rallies, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) jumping over 50 points in early trading. There are no major economic reports or Fed speakers scheduled for today. Like yesterday, profit taking may take the 30-Year Bond price lower again today.

Next week's holiday shortened economic calendar is fairly light with Wednesday's reports on Durable Goods Orders and revised 3rd quarter Gross Domestic Product (GDP) having the most significance. Traders will also scrutinize the Friday release of the Chicago Purchasing managers report as it may reveal what the National Association of Purchasing Managers (NAPM) may look like on the following Monday. (see the calendar for details).

Bond prices ended modestly lower yesterday on profit-taking and various other factors, although the yield of the Treasury's benchmark 30-year bond briefly touched the key 6% level during the session. In late trading, the price of the benchmark 30-year Treasury bond was down 10/32, raising its yield to 6.057% from 6.032%.

Buying of longer-term maturities buoyed the market early in the day, with some investors reported to be shifting out of mortgage securities and into Treasurys. But Treasurys then retreated as the dollar lost ground against the yen and concerns rose that Japanese holders of U.S. Treasurys -- perhaps the government of Japan -- might sell some U.S. government issues and put the proceeds into Japanese equities to support Japan's stock market.

Traders said the strengthening of the yen vs. the dollar clearly put pressure on Treasurys, however. Late Thursday in New York, the dollar was quoted at 125.94 yen, down from 126.91 yen the previous day.

In addition, with no major economic data on the docket Friday, the market may be giving up ground in anticipation of next week's auction of $26 billion in 2-Year and 5-Year Notes, some said.

The market didn't react much to economic data Thursday. Among releases, the Commerce Department said the U.S. trade deficit widened to $11.1 billion in September, compared with a revised $9.5 billion deficit in August. The September deficit was wider than the figure of $10 billion that had been forecast....

      DATE         ECONOMIC REPORT             FORECAST    ACTUAL   
      ----    -----------------------------    --------    ------   
Tue  11/11    Veterans Day - Treasury Market Closed                 
     11/11    Mitsubishi and Johnson Redbook - weekly retail sales  
Wed  11/12    FOMC Meeting                     - - - - -   - - - - -
Thu  11/13    3rd Qtr Non-Farm Productivity    +3.0%       +4.5%    
     11/13    Initial Jobless Claims (11/08)   310,000     310,000  
     11/13    Atlanta Fed Index                10.0        17.7     
     11/13    Sept FOMC Minutes                - - - - -   - - - - -
     11/13    Greenspan Speaks on Asian Markets 10:00am est         
Fri  11/14    Producer Price Index(PPI)(Oct)   +0.1%       +0.1%    
     11/14    PPI Core Rate                    Unchanged   Unchanged
     11/14    Retail Sales (Oct)               +0.3%       -0.2%    
     11/14    Consumer Sentiment (UofM)(Nov)   102.0       106.1

Back to November Commentaries


Copyright © 1990-2003 by lioninc.com All Rights Reserved.
lioninc.com DBA of LION, Incorporated.