Global shares rose on Friday as wild volatility in bond and currency markets eased ahead of key US jobs data that could shape expectations for the Federal Reserve’s next policy move.
In Europe, longer-dated sovereign bond prices rose on the day, although those in more indebted countries, like France and Italy, lagged the gains in Germany, reflecting growing investor demand for protection against rising fiscal risks.
The German 10-year yield, the euro zone benchmark, was down 6.5 basis points on Friday, as investors preferred the relative safety of German bonds compared to their euro zone counterparts. Bond yields move inversely with prices.
In France, the 10-year yield was down 4 bp at 4.892 per cent, pushing the gap between the German and French 10-year yields as wide as 149 bps, the widest level since the euro zone debt crisis in 2012.Global bond markets have been under a relentless selloff in recent weeks as the US-Israeli war with Iran pushed up energy prices again, complicating the inflation outlook and further straining already stretched public finances.
Japan’s long-term bond yields hit multi-decade highs on Friday, while the US benchmark 10-year Treasury yield rose to its highest level in 24 years on Thursday, ahead of Friday’s labour market report.
Forecasts are centred on a gain of 90,000 nonfarm payrolls in September, while the unemployment rate is expected to be steady at 4.1 per cent.
A hot print could revive bets on a second rate rise from the Federal Reserve this month, currently priced at just 25 per cent after two top policymakers said this week they wanted more data before deciding what to do next with interest rates. A move in December is still fully priced in.
“With the Fed now myopically focused on inflation and price pressures, a hot wages print could prove particularly influential for US rates, Treasuries and the USD,” said Chris Weston, head of research at Pepperstone.
“Risk assets have so far absorbed the rise in US real yields, and long-end nominal Treasury yields remarkably well. However, a sustained increase in term premium could be far more problematic.”
European shares rose in early trade, with the pan-regional STOXX 600 index up 0.8 per cent, although it is still heading for a weekly drop of about 1 per cent. Nasdaq futures were up 0.7 per cent and S&P 500 futures gained 0.4 per cent.
In Asia, MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was little changed and was on track for a weekly decline of 1.2 per cent. Japan’s Nikkei dropped 0.9 per cent but gained almost 3 per cent for the week.
Mainland Chinese markets are closed through next Wednesday for a public holiday. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index slid 2.7 per cent on Friday after returning from a holiday.
SAFE HAVENS
The rout in European bonds may have also helped drive safe-haven flows back to US Treasuries, the dollar and the Swiss franc.
The euro was nursing losses at $1.1257, having weakened 0.8 per cent on Thursday to hit the lowest level since May 2025.
The US dollar index, which gauges the currency against six peers including the euro and franc, was at 101.89, slightly softer on the day, having rallied 0.6 per cent the day before to hit the highest level since April 2025. It is set for a third straight week of gains, up 0.9 per cent.
The yen firmed 0.3 per cent to 157.61 per dollar after data showed underlying inflation in Japan’s capital accelerated to an annual rate of 2.7 per cent in September, bolstering the case for further interest rate hikes.
Oil prices fell on Friday as the market refocused on signs of recovering supplies from the Middle East and as EU countries discussed a proposal to release additional diesel stockpiles.
US West Texas Intermediate crude futures slipped 3.4 per cent to $89.69 a barrel. Brent crude futures were down 2.3 per cent to about $100 a barrel.
Reuters
