US Rates: Digging into Treasury market liquidity trends
Jun 21, 2024
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Rates strategists Jay Barry and Phoebe White discuss trends in Treasury market liquidity, including increased trading volumes and improved market depth. They note a rise in off-the-run dispersion and dealer inventories. Overall, Treasury market functioning appears to be stabilizing at post-pandemic averages.
Market depth is improving, but off-the-run dispersion has increased.
Dealer inventories are rising, signaling potential market dynamics shift.
Deep dives
Market Stability and Reversal
Recent market movements, including the reversal of earlier observed patterns like the cheapening of the 20-year sector and the widening of swap spreads, have indicated a semblance of stability. Notable shifts such as the reversal of the cheapening of the 20-year sector and the modest widening of swap spreads suggest a positive trend. Despite some persistent measures of illiquidity, overall market depth appears to be increasing while implied vols have started moving lower, signaling improved stability.
Treasury Market Liquidity Analysis
A detailed analysis of Treasury market liquidity reveals increasing trading volumes, particularly in the three to five-year sector and T-bills. Market depth, a key measure of liquidity, has steadily improved in the past year, though still below historic averages. The impact of price movements for given notional trades has reduced to average levels, reflecting improving liquidity conditions across the curve. The interplay between volatility, rates, and market depth suggests a potential further increase in liquidity pending rate declines.
Observations on TIPS Market and Overall Market Functioning
In the TIPS market, liquidity indicators show signs of improvement, with trading volumes stabilizing and market depth indirectly reflecting a healthier market. Analysis of liquidity premiums in TIPS break-evens indicates a narrowing of IODAs, reflecting a positive development. Overall market functioning, as characterized by metrics like market depth, price impact, and dispersion, appears relatively healthy. However, attention is drawn to the increase in dealer inventories, potentially signaling a shift in market dynamics.
Rates strategists Jay Barry and Phoebe white discuss trends in Treasury market liquidity. Trading volumes have increased, market depth and microstructure data indicate improved liquidity as well, but off-the-run dispersion has increased, and dealer inventories have climbed recently. Overall Treasury market functioning seems to be sitting at post-pandemic averages.