Analysis: Interest Rates

'Treasuries on steroids': U.S. banks' mortgage bond trading bonanza

Wall Street banks are on track for a record year of revenue from trading U.S. government-backed mortgage debt, industry sources told Reuters, amid a surge in demand - from the Federal Reserve in its...

Fed could boost bond buys, but won't for now, policymakers say

The Federal Reserve could ramp up its bond purchasing program to push down further on borrowing costs, but for now the U.S. economy's most pressing need is for a new round of government spending, U.S....

Bank of England reaches target for corporate bond purchases

The Bank of England said on Thursday it had reached its target of at least 20 billion pounds of corporate bond purchases, and would not buy any more until it gives further notice....

Global funds hold even more bonds in a world fraught with risk - Reuters poll

Global funds recommended cutting equity allocations to the lowest since early 2010 and increasing bond holdings to their highest since then, according to a September Reuters poll which found a...

Equities slip, bonds rise ahead of U.S. presidential debate

Global equity benchmarks slid and government bonds inched higher Tuesday as investors remained hesitant ahead of the first U.S. presidential debate and watched for progress in talks for further fiscal...

BoE realistic about challenge of sub-zero rates for banks, Bailey says

Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey said the central bank was realistic about the challenges negative interest rates would pose for the banking system, but repeated he was not ruling them out as a...

'Relief rally' pushes equity markets higher; bonds flat

Global equity markets surged and the dollar fell from two-month highs on Monday as investors moved into beaten-down sectors such as banks and travel on the heels of last week's sharp sell-off.

Bank of England's Ramsden sees floor for rates above zero

Bank of England Deputy Governor Dave Ramsden said he thought the floor for the central bank's key interest rate was 0.1% but the BoE was duty-bound to consider going below zero as part of its efforts...

BoE's Tenreyro says evidence on negative rates is 'encouraging'

The Bank of England's investigation into whether negative rates might help the British economy through its current downturn has found encouraging evidence, policymaker Silvana Tenreyro said in an...

Volvo Cars readies first green bond to support electric car strategy

Volvo Cars, owned by China's Geely Holding, said on Thursday it had established a new framework to help it fund its electrification strategy and climate plan.

Fed policymakers vow to keep interest rates near zero, call for more fiscal help

Federal Reserve officials on Wednesday doubled down on efforts to convince investors they will keep monetary policy easy for years to allow unemployment to fall, emphasizing that interest rates will...

Fed's Kaplan says low rates may be needed for two-and-a-half to three years

Dallas Federal Reserve President Robert Kaplan on Monday said the economy will likely need near-zero interest rates for the next two and a half or three years, but the U.S. central bank shouldn't lock...

J.P. Morgan opens way for COVID support with key bond index changes

J.P. Morgan's prominent bond index division has made a key rule change that could pave the way for some of the world's poorest countries struggling with the COVID-19 pandemic to receive Brady...

Norway rates seen on hold at zero, but outlook may change - Reuters poll

Norway's central bank is expected to keep its key interest rate at a record low zero percent this week, a Reuters poll found on Monday, leaving many economists to focus on any potential shift in the...

Bank of England looks harder at negative rates in case troubles deepen

The Bank of England said it was looking more closely at how it might cut interest rates below zero as Britain's economy faces a triple whammy of rising COVID-19 cases, higher unemployment and a...

Fed touts economic recovery, vows to keep interest rates low

The Federal Reserve on Wednesday vowed to keep interest rates near zero until inflation is on track to overshoot the U.S. central bank's 2% target, a bold new promise aimed at bringing millions of...

Global shares slip, dollar gains as Fed sticks to agenda of near-zero rates

Global equities slid and the dollar firmed on Wednesday after the Federal Reserve pledged to hold interest rates near zero until at least 2023 and keep its bond-buying program in place to stimulate...

Bundesbank chief defends ECB bond purchases in wake of court case

Bundesbank chief Jens Weidmann defended the European Central Bank's bond purchases in the face of criticism from some German lawmakers in a culmination of efforts to defuse a stand-off with Germany's...

ECB's Holzmann says low rates harmful in long term

Low or negative interest rates harm the economy in the long term by curbing productivity, fuelling asset-price bubbles and fostering inequality, European Central Bank policymaker Robert Holzmann said...