A global sell-off of government debt extended to Tokyo on Wednesday, with yields on Japan’s long-dated bonds hitting record levels.
Yields on 30-year Japanese government bonds, which move inversely to prices, climbed to as much as 3.28 per cent, an all-time high, as selling pressure mounted. Twenty-year yields reached 2.69 per cent at one point in the morning, their highest since 1999.
The moves in Japanese debt reflect broadening investor concerns around countries with substantial piles of government debt. They follow a surge in 30-year UK gilt yields to their highest level since 1998 on Tuesday, while French 10-year government bond yields rose 0.05 percentage points to 3.58 per cent amid concerns over government stability.