TOKYO, March 10 (Reuters) - Japan's 10-year government
bond yield on Friday fell to its lowest in six weeks and 10-year
futures surged after the central bank maintained its ultra-low
interest rate policy.
The Bank of Japan (BOJ) also held off making changes to its
controversial bond yield control policy, leaving options open
ahead of a leadership transition in April.
The 10-year Japan Government Bond (JGB) yield fell 5.5 basis points (bps) to 0.445%, its lowest since Jan. 26,
while the 10-year JGB futures jumped 1.07 points to 146.15.
Most market players bet that the BOJ would keep its interest
rates unchanged and investors were not actively shorting JGBs.
The policy meeting was chaired by Governor Haruhiko Kuroda,
who leaves behind a mixed legacy with his massive stimulus
praised for pulling the economy out of deflation - but straining
bank profits and distorting market function with prolonged low
interest rates.
(Reporting by Junko Fujita; Editing by Sonia Cheema)
