Bonds

Treasury yields fall slightly as investors look ahead to Fed meeting

U.S. government debt prices were higher and yields lower on Monday as investors monitor the latest development on U.S.-China trade and look ahead to the Federal Reserve meeting later this week.

The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note, which moves inversely to price, was lower at around 1.8346%, while the yield on the 30-year Treasury bond was also lower at around 2.2695%.

Treasurys


Bond prices dropped Friday after a U.S. jobs report topped expectations. Nonfarm payrolls surged by 266,000 in November and the unemployment rate stood at 3.5%.

This week traders are waiting for a new Fed meeting, starting Tuesday. Market players are also closely following trade talks between the U.S. and China, looking for clarity as to whether both countries will be signing a trade deal soon. The U.S. is due to impose new tariffs on China by December 15.

China Assistant Commerce Minister Ren Hongbin said Monday the country hopes to make a deal with the U.S. "as soon as possible." Ren's comment came after data showed Chinese exports fell for a fourth straight month in November, potentially increasing pressure on China to make a deal.

Larry Kudlow, director of the White House National Economic Council, told CNBC on Friday that both sides were "close" to a deal, but suggested Trump was prepared to "walk away" if certain conditions were not met. Kudlow also confirmed that a Dec. 15 deadline remained in place to impose tariffs on another $156 billion on Chinese goods.

The U.S. Treasury is set to auction $84 billion in 13 and 26-week bills; and $38 billion in three-year notes.