China Weighs Slowing or Halting Purchases of U.S. Treasuries

This report is from Hal Turner who of course interprets things in his own way. I doubt if it is directly related to North Korea but with an attempt to move away from dependence on the West and the dollar.

This is confirmed by reports from Bloomberg.

China Tells U.S. "Leave North Korea Alone or We Will Stop Buying Your Government Debt" - US Markets Falling after U.S. Replies "We Will Do What We Have To with NK"

Hal Turner,

10 January, 2018

Three minutes before the stock market opens here in the US and all major Indices around the world are heading lower.  China has now publicly hinted they may HALT the purchase of US Government Debt, (i.e. Treasury Bonds) and have said the U.S. "Must leave North Korea alone."

Knowing the U.S can and will attack North Korea's nuclear weapons program facilities and its long range missile development facilities unless North Korea voluntarily agrees to denuclearize, China is now openly siding with the illegal development of nuclear weapons and long-range missiles by North Korea. 

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China Weighs Slowing or Halting Purchases of U.S. Treasuries

• Officials have recommended slowing or halting purchases
• China is world’s biggest foreign holder of U.S. Treasuries

China is reportedly thinking of halting US Treasury purchases and that's worrying markets

• The report notes that Chinese officials think U.S. debt is becoming less attractive compared with other assets.
• Trade tensions between the two countries could provide a reason to slow down or halt the purchases, according to the report.
• Treasurys and the dollar fell on the report. Gold rose. Equities fell
• China is the biggest buyer of U.S. sovereign debt.

China is reportedly thinking of halting US Treasury purchases China is reportedly thinking of halting US Treasury purchases

China, the biggest buyer of U.S. sovereign bonds, could be slowing down or even halting its purchases, according to a report.



Bloomberg News reported Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter, that officials in Beijing have recommended the Chinese government lower — or even stop — its buying of U.S. sovereign debt.



The report also notes that Chinese officials think U.S. debt is becoming less attractive compared with other assets, adding that trade tensions between the two countries could provide a reason to slow down or halt the purchases.

China's President Xi Jinping (L) and US President Donald Trump attend a working session on the first day of the G20 summit in Hamburg, northern Germany, on July 7, 2017.

"If China stops buying Treasuries, the market could suffer," strategists at Jefferies said. "Treasury financing needs are going to rise significantly in 2018 and beyond relative to recent history, so Treasury is going to be looking for as many sources of demand as they can find."



The news worried markets.



Treasury prices fell, boosting yields. The dollar also dropped against most currencies and gold rose. U.S. equities declined.



"I think the Chinese will contribute to the removal of liquidity from the U.S. bond market," said Michael Shaoul, chairman and CEO of Marketfield Asset Management. "That's not helpful to a bond market that's already under pressure."



A taper in Chinese purchases would come as the Federal Reserve unwinds the massive balance sheet it amassed after the financial crisis. The Fed is also expected to raise rates three times this year. In 2017, the central bank also hiked rates three times.




The U.S. 10-year yield rose to 2.56 percent on Wednesday, hitting levels not seen since last March. The dollar also fell against a basket of major currencies, trading down 0.2 percent at 92.28.