Finance1 min read

Treasuries Soar as Tech-Stock Selloff Lures Investors to Havens

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In short

Investors moved swiftly into government debt as major tech shares tumbled, sending the Nasdaq 100 down 4.75% and the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index plunging 8.83%. Concerns over the sustainability of capital expenditures for artificial-intelligence infrastructure prompted warnings of an economic slowdown. Consequently, expectations for further interest-rate increases softened, with some short-term options pricing in no rate change at the December meeting. This retreat in yields fully erased early morning climbs that had been spurred by higher oil prices and strong jobless claims.

Key points

  • Growing doubts regarding extensive corporate spending on artificial-intelligence infrastr…: Growing doubts regarding extensive corporate spending on artificial-intelligence infrastructure helped trigger a broad equity retreat.
  • Waning enthusiasm for tech investments lowered market expectations for future Federal Res…: Waning enthusiasm for tech investments lowered market expectations for future Federal Reserve interest-rate increases next year.
  • The bond market rally reversed early morning yield gains that had stemmed from rising oil…: The bond market rally reversed early morning yield gains that had stemmed from rising oil prices and solid jobless claims data.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

(Bloomberg) -- Treasuries rose as a Democratic sweep in the US midterms led to a selloff in shares of large US technology companies, stoking demand for havens.

The rally in the US government bond market on Thursday sent yields down across maturities by as much as nine basis points to the lowest levels since early September. The yield retreat began after the US stock market opened, with the Nasdaq 100 index falling 4.75% and the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index down 8.83%.

The Treasury market last month notched its biggest gain in more than two years as investors lost faith in the sustainability of capital spending on artificial-intelligence infrastructure and rotated from stocks to bonds.

“The fact that chip stocks are falling is an extension of the idea that there may be a pullback in the pace of capex spend,” said Anmol Sinha, fixed income investment director at The Capital Group. “That’s causing a reaction.”

Beyond haven demand for Treasuries, the prospect of a US economic slowdown resulting from fading enthusiasm for investment in the AI buildout has led to lower expectations…

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