The Reality Behind the UK’s Gilt Sales – It's Not About Confidence in the Government The Reality Behind the UK’s Gilt Sales – It's Not About Confidence in the Government The Reality Behind the UK’s Gilt Sales – It's Not About Confidence in the Government

The Reality Behind the UK’s Gilt Sales – It's Not About Confidence in the Government

Bonds
Althea Spinozzi

Head of Fixed Income Strategy

Summary:

  • Attractive Yields Drive Gilt Sales, Not Government Confidence. The recent successful gilt sale is primarily fueled by long-term investors seeking to lock in yields above historical averages, rather than a vote of confidence in the new UK government.
  • BoE Rate Cut Expectations May Be Overly Optimistic. While the market anticipates five Bank of England rate cuts in the next year, strong economic data and persistent fiscal spending could maintain inflationary pressures, limiting the likelihood of aggressive rate reductions and potentially causing long-term yields to rise.
  • Front-End Gilts Offer Better Value Amid Rising Risks. Front-end gilts, such as two-year bonds yielding 4.08%, present better value compared to long-duration bonds. The latter offer minimal premium over short-term gilts and carry significant duration risk, making them less attractive if inflation persists leading to higher long-term yields.


Don’t mistake today’s successful gilt sale for a vote of confidence in the UK’s new government. It’s really about long-term investors locking in attractive yields ahead of what they anticipate will be a easing cycle by the Bank of England.

While the market seems to expect five BOE rate cuts in the next 12 months the reality is that stronger-than-expected economic data and persistent fiscal spending could keep inflationary pressures alive, making those cuts less likely. The result? Long-term yields could rise, and those betting on aggressive rate cuts might find themselves on the losing side.

The Real Story Behind the Gilt Sale

The latest UK gilt sale, offering a 2040 bond with a 4.375% coupon (GB00BQC82D08), attracted the £110 billion in bids. But let’s be realistic—this isn’t a ringing endorsement of the new government. Instead, it’s about long-term real money investors seizing the opportunity to lock in a yield that’s well above the post Global Financial Crisis (GFC) norm, especially ahead of anticipated moves by the BOE to normalize monetary policy.

While a 4.375% coupon might seem appealing—particularly when it’s just 60bp below the 2023 peak of 4.97%—investors should be cautious. If inflation rebounds or fiscal policy remains loose, duration risks could lead to further increases in yields, potentially resulting in capital losses for bondholders.

Market Complacency and Inflation Risks: Front-End Gilts Offer Better Value

There's a growing sense of complacency in the markets, with many assuming that inflation is no longer a major threat. This mindset has fueled expectations that central banks, including the Bank of England (BOE), will continue to cut interest rates, normalizing monetary policy. However, this view overlooks a critical issue: persistent global fiscal spending that could reignite inflationary pressures.

Recent UK economic data has been surprisingly strong, with unemployment, inflation, GDP, industrial production, and retail sales all beating expectations. These positive indicators suggest that the UK economy is on solid footing, casting doubt on the market's anticipation of aggressive rate cuts. If inflation returns, especially in a context of ongoing government spending, long-term bonds (duration) could suffer as yields rise to reflect renewed inflation risks.

In the current environment, the front end of the gilt yield curve appears to offer better value than the long end. For example, two-year Gilts (GB00BL6C7720) are yielding 4.08%, and with a one-year holding period, yields would need to rise above 7.3% for this position to turn negative. This scenario would require the Bank of England to reverse its current stance on rate cuts and hike rates by another 200 basis points—a move that seems highly improbable at this point. To further illustrate, the new 15-year bonds are offering only a 30 basis point premium over two-year Gilts, which hardly compensates for the significantly higher duration risk.

Other recent Fixed Income articles:

02-Sept Bonding with Buffett: How the Oracle’s Stock Picks Can Boost Your Bond Portfolio
30-Aug Austria’s 2086 Bond Flop: What It Means for Ultra-Long European Debt
29-Aug Capitalizing on Fed Rate Cuts: A Guide to Emerging Market Local Currency Bonds 
29-Aug Uncovering Value: The Strength of European Investment-Grade Bonds
28-Aug Insights into this week's US Treasury auctions: 2-, 5-, and 7-year overview.
22-Aug Wage Growth and Economic Resilience Challenge Market Expectations for Aggressive ECB Rate Cuts
20-Aug Understanding U.S. Treasury Auctions: What You Need to Know
19-Aug Insights into this week's US Treasury auctions: 20-year U.S. Treasury bonds and 30-year TIPS.
16-Aug No Signs of Imminent Recession: Why Bond Investors Should Approach Insurance Rate Cuts with Caution
14-Aug Markets Skeptical Despite Positive UK Inflation Report
09-Aug Yield Curve is Disinverting: Lessons from Past Crises
07-Aug Stable Bond Spreads and Robust Issuance Make a 50 bps Rate Cut in September Unlikely
06-Aug Insights into this week's US Treasury refunding: 3-, 10-, and 30-year overview.
05-Aug Why Investors Must Pay Attention: BOJ’s Hawkish Moves Could Roil Global Markets
30-July BOE Preview: Better Safe than Sorry
29-July FOMC Preview: A Data-Dependent and Balanced Approach
24-July Market Impact of Democratic vs. Republican Wins
23-July Insights into this week's US Treasury auctions: 2-, 5-, and 7-year overview.
16-July Insights into this week's US Treasury auctions: 20-year U.S. Treasury bonds and 10-year TIPS.
15-July ECB Preview: Conflicting Narratives – Rate Cuts vs. Data Dependency
15-July Understanding the "Trump Trade"
11- July  Bond Update: Faster Disinflation Paves the Way for Imminent Rate Cuts, but Risks of Economic Reacceleration Remain
09-July Insights into This Week's U.S. Treasury Auctions: 3-, 10-, and 30-Year Tenor Overview and Market Dynamics.
08-July Surprise Shift in French Election Fails to Rattle Markets for Good Reasons.
04-July Market Optimism Ahead of French Elections Drives Strong Demand for Long-Term Bonds
01-July UK Election Uncertainty and Yield curve Dynamics: Why Short-Term Bonds Are the Better Bet
28-June Bond Market Update: Market Awaits First Round of French Election Voting.
26-JuneBond Market Update: Canada and Australia Inflation Data Dampen Disinflation Hopes.
30-May ECB preview: One alone is like none at all.
28-May Insights into this week's US Treasury auctions: 2-, 5-, and 7-year tenors overview.
22-May UK April’s Consumer Prices: Markets Abandon Hopes for a Linear Disinflation Path.
17-May Strong trade-weighted EUR gives ECB green light to cut rates, but bond bull rally unlikely
14-May UK labor data and Huw Pill's comments are not enough for a bond bull rally
08-May Bank of England preview: Rate cuts in mind, but patience required.
06-May Insights into this week's US Treasury refunding: 3-, 10-, and 30-year overview
02-May FOMC Meeting Takeaways: Why Inflation Risk Might Come to Bite the Fed
30-Apr FOMC preview: challenging the March dot plot.
29-Apr Bond Markets: the week ahead
25-Apr A tactical guide to the upcoming quarterly refunding announcement for bond and stock markets
22-Apr Analyzing market impacts: insights into the upcoming 5-year and 7-year US Treasury auctions.
18-Apr Italian BTPs are more attractive than German Schatz in today's macroeconomic context
16-Apr QT Tapering Looms Despite Macroeconomic Conditions: Fear of Liquidity Squeeze Drives Policy
08-Apr ECB preview: data-driven until June, Fed-dependent thereafter.
03-Apr Fixed income: Keep calm, seize the moment.
21-Mar FOMC bond takeaway: beware of ultra-long duration.
18-Mar Bank of England Preview: slight dovish shift in the MPC amid disinflationary trends.
18-Mar FOMC Preview: dot plot and quantitative tightening in focus.
12-Mar US Treasury auctions on the back of the US CPI might offer critical insights to investors.
07-Mar The Debt Management Office's Gilts Sales Matter More Than The Spring Budget.
05-Mar "Quantitative Tightening" or "Operation Twist" is coming up. What are the implications for bonds?
01-Mar The bond weekly wrap: slower than expected disinflation creates a floor for bond yields.
29-Feb ECB preview: European sovereign bond yields are likely to remain rangebound until the first rate cut.
27-Feb Defense bonds: risks and opportunities amid an uncertain geopolitical and macroeconomic environment.
23-Feb Two-year US Treasury notes offer an appealing entry point.
21-Feb Four reasons why the ECB keeps calm and cuts later.
14 Feb Higher CPI shows that rates volatility will remain elevated.
12 Feb Ultra-long sovereign issuance draws buy-the-dip demand but stakes are high.
06 Feb Technical Update - US 10-year Treasury yields resuming uptrend? US Treasury and Euro Bund futures testing key supports
05 Feb  The upcoming 30-year US Treasury auction might rattle markets
30 Jan BOE preview: BoE hold unlikely to last as inflation plummets
29 Jan FOMC preview: the Fed might be on hold, but easing is inevitable.
26 Jan The ECB holds rates: is the bond rally sustainable?
18 Jan The most infamous bond trade: the Austria century bond.
16 Jan European sovereigns: inflation, stagnation and the bumpy road to rate cuts in 2024.
10 Jan US Treasuries: where do we go from here?
09 Jan Quarterly Outlook: bonds on everybody’s lips.

Quarterly Outlook 2024 Q3

Sandcastle economics

01 / 05

  • Macro: Sandcastle economics

    Invest wisely in Q3 2024: Discover SaxoStrats' insights on navigating a stable yet fragile global economy.

    Read article
  • Bonds: What to do until inflation stabilises

    Discover strategies for managing bonds as US and European yields remain rangebound due to uncertain inflation and evolving monetary policies.

    Read article
  • Equities: Are we blowing bubbles again

    Explore key trends and opportunities in European equities and electrification theme as market dynamics echo 2021's rally.

    Read article
  • FX: Risk-on currencies to surge against havens

    Explore the outlook for USD, AUD, NZD, and EM carry trades as risk-on currencies are set to outperform in Q3 2024.

    Read article
  • Commodities: Energy and grains in focus as metals pause

    Energy and grains to shine as metals pause. Discover key trends and market drivers for commodities in Q3 2024.

    Read article
Disclaimer

Saxo Capital Markets (Australia) Limited prepares and distributes information/research produced within the Saxo Bank Group for informational purposes only. In addition to the disclaimer below, if any general advice is provided, such advice does not take into account your individual objectives, financial situation or needs. You should consider the appropriateness of trading any financial instrument as trading can result in losses that exceed your initial investment. Please refer to our Analysis Disclaimer, and our Financial Services Guide and Product Disclosure Statement. All legal documentation and disclaimers can be found at https://www.home.saxo/en-au/legal/.

The Saxo Bank Group entities each provide execution-only service. Access and use of Saxo News & Research and any Saxo Bank Group website are subject to (i) the Terms of Use; (ii) the full Disclaimer; and (iii) the Risk Warning in addition (where relevant) to the terms governing the use of the website of a member of the Saxo Bank Group.

Saxo News & Research is provided for informational purposes, does not contain (and should not be construed as containing) financial, investment, tax or trading advice or advice of any sort offered, recommended or endorsed by Saxo Bank Group and should not be construed as a record of our trading prices, or as an offer, incentive or solicitation for the subscription, sale or purchase in any financial instrument. No representation or warranty is given as to the accuracy or completeness of this information. All trading or investments you make must be pursuant to your own unprompted and informed self-directed decision. No Saxo Bank Group entity shall be liable for any losses that you may sustain as a result of any investment decision made in reliance on information on Saxo News & Research.

To the extent that any content is construed as investment research, such content was not intended to and has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such, would be considered as a marketing communication.

None of the information contained here constitutes an offer to purchase or sell a financial instrument, or to make any investments.Saxo Capital Markets does not take into account your personal investment objectives or financial situation and makes no representation and assumes no liability as to the accuracy or completeness of the information nor for any loss arising from any investment made in reliance of this presentation. Any opinions made are subject to change and may be personal to the author. These may not necessarily reflect the opinion of Saxo Capital Markets or its affiliates.

Please read our disclaimers:
- Full Disclaimer (https://www.home.saxo/en-au/legal/disclaimer/saxo-disclaimer)
- Analysis Disclaimer (https://www.home.saxo/en-au/legal/analysis-disclaimer/saxo-analysis-disclaimer)
- Notification on Non-Independent Investment Research (https://www.home.saxo/legal/niird/notification)

Saxo Capital Markets (Australia) Limited
Suite 1, Level 14, 9 Castlereagh St
Sydney NSW 2000
Australia

Contact Saxo

Select region

Australia
Australia

The Saxo trading platform has received numerous awards and recognition. For details of these awards and information on awards visit www.home.saxo/en-au/about-us/awards

Saxo Capital Markets (Australia) Limited ABN 32 110 128 286 AFSL 280372 (‘Saxo’ or ‘Saxo Capital Markets’) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Saxo Bank A/S, headquartered in Denmark. Please refer to our General Business Terms, Financial Services Guide, Product Disclosure Statement and Target Market Determination to consider whether acquiring or continuing to hold financial products is suitable for you, prior to opening an account and investing in a financial product.

Trading in financial instruments carries various risks, and is not suitable for all investors. Please seek expert advice, and always ensure that you fully understand these risks before trading. Saxo Capital Markets does not provide ‘personal’ financial product advice, any information available on this website is ‘general’ in nature and for informational purposes only. Saxo Capital Markets does not take into account an individual’s needs, objectives or financial situation. The Target Market Determination should assist you in determining whether any of the products or services we offer are likely to be consistent with your objectives, financial situation and needs.

Apple, iPad and iPhone are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the US and other countries. AppStore is a service mark of Apple Inc.

The information or the products and services referred to on this website may be accessed worldwide, however is only intended for distribution to and use by recipients located in countries where such use does not constitute a violation of applicable legislation or regulations. Products and Services offered on this website is not intended for residents of the United States and Japan.

Please click here to view our full disclaimer.