The Treasury Department. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Demand for benchmark 10-year notes at Wednesday's U.S. Treasury auction was the worst in a decade, data shows, following Tuesday's sleepy 3-year Treasury note auction that also drew lackluster demand.
Why it matters: The historically weak auctions have come despite falling stock prices and strong buying of safe-haven U.S. debt for much of the year, showing diminishing appetite among some investors.
Worth noting: Data on foreign buyers of Treasury notes is reported on a lag, so it's not yet possible to know whether diminishing Chinese purchases are responsible. However, foreign investors, especially China and Japan, have accounted for a declining share of U.S. government debt buys during the early months of the year.
- Traders tell Axios there's no clear fundamental reason for the drop.
Go deeper: Bond yields are at historic lows around the world