Bond yields may harden further

The yield on government securities may harden further due to huge supply of paper, including 10-year state government bonds through auction.

Dealers said the large borrowing programme is weighing on appetite of public sector banks for government paper since many of them have reached limit for Held to Maturity (HTM) category.

Also, over supply of government papers is making portfolio management difficult for the investors with each successive debt sale.

The central government sold Rs 12,000 crore of securities on Friday (September 4). Next week, it will raise Rs 11,000 crore though long-term bonds and Rs 9,000 crore through short-term paper. Additionally, the eight state governments plan to raise a total of Rs 8,350 crore by selling 10-year securities on September 8.

Bonds also fell on the back of accelerating inflation, which may prompt the Reserve Bank of India to switch over to tightening mode sooner than later.

There was partial devolvement for bond auction for (Rs 12,000 crore) on Friday. The 6.90 per cent 2019 paper (Rs 5,000 crore) witnessed a partial devolvement. The cut-off yield was 7.50 per cent.

Dealers said RBI did not want to give yield which players want, sending signal that fundamentals do not warrant high yields. This was a fourth devolvement in a row this month.

Call rates to remain soft

The interest rates (call rates) in inter-bank market are likely to remain soft on ample liquidity in the system.The money market rates remained range bound tracking surplus liquidity in the system. The call rates moved in the band of 3-3.30 per cent.The one-day call money rate could ease intraday because demand is seen subdued amid abundant liquidity.

The amount absorbed under Liquidity Adjustment facility (LAF) Reverse Repo operation was Rs 1,68,570 crore.

Rupee may show bias for appreciation

Rupee may remain firm against the dollar next week as dollar has been weakening against major currencies like euro and pound sterling on relatively weaker economic data for the US.

A continuous dollar selling by exporters may also work in favour of rupee. Indian rupee declined as a slide in local stocks prompted global funds to sell Indian shares. The rupee dropped to 48.89 per dollar at close according to the data compiled by Bloomberg.