U.S. Treasury yields reach two-year high; shares fall By Wanfeng Zhou
NEW YORK, Reuters Fri Aug 16, 2013 4:42pm EDT (Reuters) - U.S. bond yields rose to two-year highs on Friday as investors worried the Federal Reserve will start scaling back stimulus next month, while world share indexes registered their biggest weekly fall in almost two months. The rise in yields on U.S. Treasuries drove the dollar up against major currencies, though it did briefly weaken after data showed U.S. consumer sentiment declined in August while housing starts and permits rose less than expected in July. U.S. stocks ended lower, with the Dow posting its biggest weekly decline of the year as rising interest rates hurt high-dividend names and as earnings from retailers disappointed. European shares ended higher after hitting two-year highs earlier this week. Treasuries have been roiled, along with German, British and other government bonds, as the United States and euro zone economies appear to have finally found a more solid footing, increasing expectations that yields will continue their recent rise. "It's a further belief that the economy is on a more sustainable path," said Jennifer Vail, head of fixed income at U.S. Bank's wealth management group in Minneapolis. "The market believes that we are closer to the end of not only bond purchases, but also the end of near-zero interest rate policy." The 10-year Treasury note was last down 18/32 in price, its yield at 2.8288 percent. On moderate trading volume, the 10-year yield reached as high as 2.866 percent, a level not seen since July 29, 2011, according to Reuters data. The bond market has undergone a sharp sell-off since the Fed started talking about paring back its bond purchases. The benchmark 10-year yield has risen from about 1.6 percent at the start of May. A Reuters poll released on Wednesday showed a majority of economists expect the Fed to reduce bond purchases at its September 17-18 policy meeting, with a consensus expecting that the U.S. central bank would reduce purchases by $15 billion initially from the current $85 billion monthly pace. On Wall Street, stocks have come under pressure as corporate revenue growth has disappointed even as companies' earnings have hit estimates. From Wal-Mart (WMT.N) and Gap (GPS.N) to Macy's (M.N) and McDonald's (MCD.N), chains that cater to middle- and lower-income Americans are feeling the pinch of an uneven economic recovery. (.) http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/08/16/us-markets-global-idUSBRE96S00E201 30816
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