U.S. Treasury yields ebbed lower on Monday morning, continuing to fall from recent highs.
The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note fell to 1.564% at 4:15 a.m. ET. The yield on the 30-year Treasury bond dipped to 2.253%. Yields move inversely to prices.
There are no major economic data releases due out on Monday.
Auctions are due to be held Monday for $57 billion of 13-week bills and $54 billion of 26-week bills.
· Dr. Fauci predicts resumption of J&J COVID-19 vaccine use
Dr. Anthony Fauci on Sunday predicted that U.S. health regulators will end the temporary pause on distributing Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine, adding he expects a decision could come as soon as Friday.
· Moderna expects vaccine shipments to Britain, Canada to be delayed, EU, Swiss roll-out on track
· The Pan American Health Organization’s regional director has since emphasized that for most countries in the region, vaccines won’t be enough to prevent rising infection rates.
· Canada’s Ontario to expand use of AstraZeneca COVID vaccine as epidemic rages
· China is starting clinical trials of a Covid vaccine that can be inhaled
· Chile has one of the world’s best vaccination rates. Covid is surging there anyway
Chile’s vaccination campaign against the coronavirus has been one of the world’s quickest and most extensive, but a recent surge in infections has sparked concern beyond its borders.
Almost 40% of the South American country’s total population have now received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, according to statistics compiled by Our World in Data, reflecting one of the highest vaccination rates in the world.
Only Israel and the U.K., respectively, have inoculated a larger share of their population with at least one dose.
A study published by the University of Chile earlier this month reported that CoronaVac was 56.5% effective two weeks after the second doses were administered in the country. Crucially, however, they also reported that one dose was only 3% effective.
“This would help to explain why Chile — with one of the world’s most robust vaccine rollouts but 93% of the doses coming from China — has experienced a simultaneous significant expansion in cases, and a much slower decline in hospitalizations and deaths compared to the early rollouts in Israel, the United Kingdom and the United States,” Ian Bremmer, president of risk consultancy Eurasia Group, said in a research note.
· Guinea receives purchase of 300,000 Sinovac COVID-19 vaccines
· Philippines lifts suspension on AstraZeneca vaccine for under 60s
· India struggles with COVID count, bed shortage; political rallies continue
India's daily COVID-19 cases jumped by a record 273,810 on Monday as the health system crumbled under the weight of patients, bringing total infections closer to that of the United States, the world's worst hit country.
India's hospitals are struggling with a shortage of hospital beds and oxygen supplies as infections pass the 15 million mark, second only to the United States. The country's deaths from COVID-19 rose by a record 1,619 to reach a total of 178,769.
Despite soaring infections, politicians continued to hold mass rallies across the country for state elections.
· India's Delhi to lock down for six days as COVID-19 outbreak worsens
· Turkey reports record 318 COVID-19 deaths in a day
Turkey has recorded 318 deaths from COVID-19 in the space of a day, its highest daily total so far, data from the Health Ministry showed on Sunday.
Turkey's official cumulative death toll stands at 35,926.
Some 55,802 new cases were recorded.
· Thai COVID-19 infections ease after days of record highs
· France to impose 10-day quarantine for travellers coming from Brazil
· Argentine court orders city schools in Buenos Aires to open despite COVID-19 surge
· Australia and New Zealand return to quarantine-free travel
Australian passengers headed to New Zealand on Monday without the need to quarantine for the first time in over a year, agencies reported.
The "trans-Tasman travel bubble" allows Australians and New Zealanders to visit each others' country without any restrictions. The two nations' governments imposed heavy restrictions on entry into their respective country in March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
· Japan firms brace for further COVID hit amid fears of new wave of infections - Reuters poll
Japanese companies think the country will suffer a fourth round of coronavirus infections, with many bracing for a further blow to business, a Reuters monthly poll showed.
Japan has so far seen far fewer COVID-19 cases than many Western countries, but concerns about a new wave of infections are rising fast.
· Japan's hard-hit regions may slide back to COVID-19 state of emergency
A recent surge in COVID-19 cases could see major parts of Japan slide back into states of emergency with authorities in Tokyo and Osaka looking at renewed curbs to stop the spread.
· ‘A very good weird’: Israel drops outdoor COVID mask order
· With Biden in the White House, EU officials are pushing hard for a new data-sharing pact with the U.S.
Officials from the EU and U.S. are “intensifying negotiations” on a new pact for transatlantic data transfers, trying to solve the messy issue of personal information that is transferred between the two regions.
The agreement, whenever it is reached, will replace the so-called Privacy Shield. The mechanism for legally transferring personal data between the U.S. and EU was struck down by the European Court of Justice, the EU’s top court, in July 2020.
· Germany’s Green Party selects Annalena Baerbock as candidate for chancellor
· China NDRC approves 16 fixed-asset investment projects worth $6.96 bln in Q1
China's state planner said on Monday that it approved 16 fixed-asset investment projects worth a total of 45.4 billion yuan ($6.96 billion) in the first quarter of this year.
The NDRC also said that China's power consumption surged 21.2% in the first quarter from a year earlier.
· China may test its digital currency with foreign visitors at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics
· Asian economy to grow 6.5 pct in 2021: report
The growth rate of the Asian economy in 2021 is expected to reach at least 6.5 percent and Asia should be a major engine for sustainable global recovery, according to reports released by the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Sunday.
The figure of 6.5 percent represents a significant rebound from the 1.7-percent contraction registered last year, said the report titled "Asian Economic Outlook and Integration Progress," citing data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
· AUTOSHOW Chip shortage casts shadow on China's auto industry recovery
· China's March exports to North Korea spike to six-month high
China's exports to North Korea in March rose to a six-month high, with outbound shipments to its neighbour that month nearly 400 times more than January-February combined, in a sign of easing border restrictions imposed due to COVID-19.
China exported $12.978 million of goods to North Korea in March, up from $3,000 in February and $33,000 in the first two months, according to Chinese customs data released on Sunday.
The shipments in March were the highest by value since $18.882 million in September last year.
China imported $1.308 million of North Korean goods in March compared with $1.75 million in February.
· Taiwan c.bank says may revise 2021 growth forecast higher
The central bank last month raised its 2021 estimate for gross domestic product (GDP) growth to 4.53% from 3.68% forecast in December.
· China, U.S. agree on need for stronger climate commitments
China and the United States agree that stronger pledges to fight climate change should be introduced before a new round of international talks at the end of the year, the two countries said in a joint statement on Sunday.
· Japanese journalist detained in Myanmar
Myanmar authorities detained a Japanese journalist in Yangon on Sunday evening, Japan's government said on Monday, adding that it was trying to seek his release.
BBC Burmese quoted a witness as saying freelance journalist Yuki Kitazumi was picked up from his home and taken into custody by troops on Sunday night. He was asked to raise both hands and was taken away in a car, it said.
· Russia and Ukraine to expel a diplomat each as tensions simmer
Russia accused a Ukrainian diplomat on Saturday of trying to obtain classified information and ordered him to leave the country by April 22, prompting a like-for-like response from Ukraine as border tensions simmer.
Russia's FSB security service said Oleksandr Sosoniuk had been detained when he tried to access information from Russian law enforcement databases during a meeting with a Russian citizen.
The foreign ministry gave Sosoniuk 72 hours to leave, and Ukraine then did likewise to a Russian diplomat in Kyiv.
· Iran always welcomes dialogue with Riyadh, foreign ministry says
Iran's foreign ministry spokesman said on Monday that Tehran always welcomed dialogue with Saudi Arabia, but he did not confirm nor deny direct talks this month between the arch-rivals.
· Israel and Greece sign record defence deal
Israel and Greece have signed their biggest ever defence procurement deal, which Israel said on Sunday would strengthen political and economic ties between the countries and the two countries' air forces launched a joint exercise.
The agreement includes a $1.65 billion contract for the establishment and operation of a training centre for the Hellenic Air Force by Israeli defence contractor Elbit Systems (ESLT.TA) over a 22-year period, Israel's defence ministry said.
· Oil drops as surging COVID-19 infections stoke demand concerns
Oil prices were lower on Monday as rising coronavirus infections in India and other countries prompted concerns that stronger measures to contain the pandemic will hit economic activity, along with demand for commodities such as crude.
Brent crude was down 23 cents, or 0.3%, at $66.54 a barrel by 0426 GMT, after rising 6% last week. U.S. oil was down 27 cents, or 0.2%, at $62.96 a barrel, having gained 6.4% last week.
Reference: CNBC, Reuters, Xinhua, BBC
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