- Treasury yields steady near highs hit overnight
- Nvidia results after bell; Samsung workers set to strike
- Oil prices still elevated; yen hovers around 159 per dollar
- Softer British inflation sends gilt yields lower
LONDON/SYDNEY, May 20 (Reuters) - Government bonds steadied on Wednesday after a steep selloff that sent yields to multi-year highs on war-driven inflation fears, a calmer backdrop which helped stocks rise ahead of closely watched results from Nvidia.
Investors are bracing for higher energy prices - driven by the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz - to feed into broader inflation and force central banks to raise interest rates.
The U.S. 30-year Treasury yield climbed to 5.20% overnight, a level last seen in 2007, while the benchmark 10-year U.S. yield hit a 16-month high of 4.687% , .
Both gave back a few basis points on Wednesday, however, to 5.17% and 4.65% respectively, but remained at levels that threatened pain for other asset classes, especially with no immediate reasons for relief in sight.
Mohit Kumar, chief European economist at Jefferies, said they had advised clients to avoid longer-dated bonds.
"Even if we stay in this 'No War No Peace' scenario for an extended period, it would have a negative impact on oil prices and inflation. We should also see government support for fuel subsidies and an increase in unemployment benefits as the oil shock reduces economic activity," he said.
"Higher rates should also start feeding into risky assets," he added, which typically refers to stocks and other asset classes such as corporate credit.
There were tentative signs of easing pressure from the Gulf on Wednesday, as two Chinese oil tankers exited the Strait of Hormuz, shipping data showed, following positive comments from the U.S. president and his deputy.
Brent crude futures fell 2%. Hopes that more ships could pass through the key strait, however, have been dashed before.
In Beijing, less than a week after U.S. President Donald Trump's high-profile visit, Chinese leader Xi Jinping held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying it was imperative to stop the war in the Middle East.
Longer-dated bonds have also sold off in Europe and Japan, but, as with Treasuries, they found some relief on Wednesday.
Germany's 10-year yield, the euro zone benchmark, fell 3 basis points from Tuesday's 15-year high to 3.16%, offering some support to European shares, which were up 0.4%.
U.S. S&P 500 futures were 0.3% higher, having fallen on Tuesday.
BIG DAY FOR CHIPMAKERS
Nvidia is due to report first-quarter earnings after the U.S. market close. Expectations remain high, with revenue forecast to jump nearly 80% to about $79 billion, according to the median estimate in an LSEG survey of analysts.
The global backdrop is more complex. A Samsung Electronics union said it would go ahead with an 18-day strike from Thursday, threatening semiconductor supply.
Samsung shares fell as much as 4.4% before closing broadly flat. They remain up 130% this year, one of the standout performers in a massive rally in global chip stocks that has supported wider equity markets.
"It remains my base case that we are seeing a corrective pullback after an absolutely phenomenal rally," said IG analyst Tony Sycamore. "The U.S. yields obviously are creating some rumbles in the market and now attracting a lot of attention.
"Nvidia could come out and absolutely exceed expectations ... but I don't think so. I think the ability for Nvidia to just absolutely shoot the lights out and shock everybody like it has done, I don't think that's in its book of tricks anymore."
Other chip stocks were doing well ahead of the results, rising in U.S. premarket trading, as well as in Europe and China, where the country's top flash memory chip maker marked the official start of its onshore listing process.
In currency markets, the dollar hovered near a six-week high against a basket of major peers. It was steady at 159.02 yen , $1.1502 per euro and $1.340 to the pound.
Sterling barely reacted to cooler-than-expected British inflation data, though traders pared back bets on imminent Bank of England rate hikes, sending two-year gilt yields down 10 basis points.
Spot gold was a fraction higher at $4,496 per ounce, but still close to a near a six-week low.
Reporting by Stella Qiu. Editing by Mark Potter, Kirsten Donovan
Source: Reuters