Published: 10:31, September 28, 2026
Stocks cautious in Asia as oil gains, yields rise
By Agencies

SYDNEY - Share markets made a cautious start on Monday as oil prices popped higher again amid doubts the United States and Iran will reach a truce anytime ​soon, keeping bonds under pressure ahead of a week packed with economic news.

Brent futures quickly rose 1.6 percent to $106.00 a barrel, bringing gains so far this month to 17 percent, while US crude futures added 1.1 percent to $93.47 a barrel.

A dearth of refining capacity ​has in turn lifted diesel prices to all-time highs far above crude, raising the risk that inflation will become embedded in pricing and wage decisions.

Central ​banks have responded with a round of rate hikes, with the Reserve Bank of Australia likely to be the next to tighten when it meets on Tuesday.

Markets now imply a 66 percent chance the Federal Reserve will hike for a second straight meeting in October, with around 90 ​basis points of tightening priced out to late next year.

At the same time, a run of strong US economic data has supported expectations for corporate earnings even ​as bond yields surge, so underpinning equities.

The Atlanta Fed's GDPNow measure is forecasting growth of a racy 5.0 percent for this quarter. Activity has also proven upbeat in Asia and Europe, thanks in part to the boom in AI investment.

"The global expansion appears to have entered a phase of broad-based strength rarely seen over the past two decades," said Bruce Kasman, chief ​economist at JPMorgan.

"Amidst strong growth and firming perceptions of resilience to high energy prices, it is no surprise that rates are moving higher while equity prices ​remain close to record levels," he added. "What is most notable about recent market moves is their extension of higher policy rates well beyond the coming year."

Bonds fear higher for ‌longer

Japan's Nikkei gained 0.8 percent, while South Korean stocks dipped 0.6 percent. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan eased 0.2 percent.

In Europe, EUROSTOXX 50 futures firmed 0.4 percent, while DAX futures gained 0.3 percent and FTSE futures added 0.2 percent. On Wall Street, S&P 500 futures fell 0.2 percent, while Nasdaq futures were flat.

Yields on 30-year Treasuries nudged up to 5.5185 percent, near their highest since 2004, having climbed 27 basis points just this month. Two-year yields have shot up 55 basis points this month in anticipation of Fed hikes.

Mark Cabana, a ​rate strategist at Bank of America, sees ​further room for bonds to sell off as markets price higher Fed Funds.

"The repricing may not stop until there's clear evidence that financial conditions have become sufficiently restrictive," he warned.

The spike in yields raises borrowing costs globally just as tech firms are borrowing billions to fund ​their AI expansion, while also lifting the discount applied to company earnings.

The US data calendar is packed with readings ​on inflation, GDP, manufacturing and jobs. The key September payrolls report on Friday is forecast to show a gain of 85,000 while the unemployment rate is expected to hold at 4.1 percent, with some chance of a dip to 4.0 percent.

The recent spate of upbeat figures has boosted the dollar index to two-month peaks at 101.39. The euro was down at $1.1380, having lost 2.0 percent ​so far this month.

The dollar edged up to 157.53 yen, after dipping on Friday when ​Japan's Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said US President Donald Trump had voiced concerns about yen weakness.

Sterling was just above three-month lows at $1.3228, having been helped somewhat by hawkish comments on rates from Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey.

In ​commodity markets, non-interest-bearing gold was off 0.5 percent at $4,262 an ounce, having fallen more than 4 percent this month as yields shot higher.