Reuters Tokyo – Japanese government bond futures soared by their daily limit of 3 full points on Tuesday and 10-year yields hit a five-month low on safe-haven buying in the wake of the collapse of Lehman Brothers.
Global stock markets and crude oil prices plunged on Monday after Lehman, crushed by losses from the U.S. mortgage crisis and unable to find a buyer, sought bankruptcy protection.
"A pretty sharp increase in credit risk and worries about credit seems inevitable," said Naomi Hasegawa, senior fixed income strategist for Mitsubishi UFJ Securities.
Growing expectations that the U.S. Federal Reserve may lower interest rates at a policy meeting later on Tuesday were also giving a lift to JGBs and euroyen futures, Hasegawa said.