- Published On Oct 14, 2026 at 12:10 PM IST
Indian government bonds fell in early trading on Wednesday as a fresh spike in oil prices and hawkish commentary from the central bank chief pushed traders to trim positions further.
The benchmark 6.94 per cent 2036 bond yield was at 7.3886 per cent as of 9:45 am IST, after closing at 7.3655 per cent on Tuesday. Bond yields rise when prices fall.
Earlier, the yield jumped to 7.4112 per cent, the highest since March 2023, and has gained 20 basis points since the central bank’s rate hike last week.
Oil prices climbed in Asian hours, as traders reacted to supply risk from the fight between Yemen’s Iran-allied Houthis and Saudi Arabia
The benchmark Brent crude contract was around $107 per barrel, and elevated energy prices weigh heavily on oil-import-dependent India, pressuring inflation and the currency.
In a media interview on Tuesday, Reserve Bank of India Governor Sanjay Malhotra said the central bank does not generally use monetary policy to safeguard financial stability, but the two cannot be entirely separated.
The comments come after the central bank has taken a host of measures to support the local currency, some of which are expected to reduce liquidity surplus.
Last week, the RBI raised the key policy rate to 5.50 per cent and changed its policy stance to calibrated tightening, hinting at more rate hikes.
India’s September consumer inflation accelerated to 5.54 per cent, set to cross the central bank’s upper tolerance band in October.
If September’s jump is followed by a series of higher prints, the case for rate hikes could solidify, HSBC said in a note, as it also supports a stronger rupee.
Traders awaited the United States’ inflation data due later to seek clarity on the Federal Reserve’s interest rate trajectory, after last month’s rate hike.
Rates
India’s overnight indexed swap (OIS) rates moved higher, tracking oil prices.
The one-year OIS rate was at 6.37 per cent, while the two-year rate was at 6.55 per cent, and five-year rate was at 6.78 per cent.
- Published On Oct 14, 2026 at 12:10 PM IST
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