Euro zone yields struggle for direction after Biden, but spreads tighten
By Stefano Rebaudo
July 23 (Reuters) -Euro zone government bond yields dropped on Tuesday after rising the day before as investors awaited developments in the U.S. presidential election campaign amid expectations of stability in the European Central Bank's monetary easing path.
U.S. President Joe Biden abandoned his reelection bid on Sunday and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the party's candidate to face Republican Donald Trump.
Analysts said it would take weeks before clues emerged about whether Harris can undermine Trump's chances of winning the Nov. 5 election.
U.S. Treasury yields edged up on Monday as markets assessed the uncertainty surrounding the race for the White House.
Germany's 10-year government bond yield DE10YT=RR, the euro area's benchmark, dropped 3 basis points (bps) to 2.45% after rising 2 bps the day before.
ECB Vice-President Luis de Guindos hinted at a possible interest rate cut in September, singling out the ECB's new projections as the "most important" factor in determining whether inflation is falling back to target.
Money markets are currently pricing an around 80% chance of a rate cut in September EURESTECBM1X2=ICAP and the same chance of two additional rate cuts by year-end. EURESTECBM3X4=ICAP.
"As Fed and ECB cuts start materialising, we expect yields to go lower, but a well-anchored terminal ECB rate means that the scope for lower rates could be limited in the euro zone," said ING analysts, recalling thatall the ECB's Surveys of Monetary Analysts have shown an ECB terminal rate of 2.25%.
The yield gap between Italian and German 10-year bonds DE10IT10=RR - a gauge of the risk premium investors demand to hold Italian debt – was at 128 bps after last week hitting 120 bps, a level seen before French President Emmanuel Macron called for snap elections, sending jitters across financial markets.
Macron's decision set off a political earthquake, offering the far right a shot at political power and raising fears that such a government could increase fiscal spending, threatening the sustainability of France's public debt.
Those fears subsided after the outcome of the vote left Macron's Together group in charge of forming a new government without far-right and far-left parties.
"With the positive momentum and lighter supply ahead, we estimate net issuance of close to zero until the end of the year. BTP spreads have scope for further performance, not only versus Bunds but also versus OATs," said Hauke Siemssen, rate strategist at Commerzbank.
The yield spread between Italian and French bonds FR10IT10=RR hit 55 bps early last week, its lowest level since October 2021.
The so-called peripheral euro zone countries, including Italy, Spain, Portugal and Greece, have seen their yield spread tighten as France's public debt trajectory has caused increasing concern among market participants.
Reporting by Stefano Rebaudo, editing by Mark Heinrich
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