Six-month annualised forward premiums on the dollar crashed to below one per cent today even as prices of long term government securities in the bond market fell by 30-40 paise amidst heavy selling pressure.
The yield on the benchmark 10-year gilts went up from 5.24 per cent to close at 5.28 per cent. This was triggered off by heavy profit taking by both companies as well as interbank players.
Six-month forwards closed 0.96 per cent (annualised) while the one-year premium stood at 1.08 per cent.
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With this, six-month forward premiums have dropped almost one percentage point since the announcement of the 50 basis points repo rate cut on Saturday.
Dealers said that with the repo rate cut, forward premia came off the previous week's levels which led to losses in interbank positions booked earlier. This sparked off a rush for dollars in the cash market to cover open positions.
On the other hand, exporters who had bought back dollars fearing a rising premia also cancelled earlier contracts to book them afresh and realise profits.
The market was crowded with similar strategies and forward premia came down with no demand for forward dollars.
The gilts market which was already witnessing selling pressure after the euphoric rise in prices after the repo rate cut got wrapped up in a selling frenzy with apprehension looming large of a open market operation (OMO) after the conversion of Rs 19,000 worth special securities into dated government securities .
The sale was further triggered by a statement by an unidentified Reserve Bank of India official released by one of the wire agencies saying that the "yield curve is not as steep as it should be".
Yields in the medium term also came down by 10- 15 paise and the fall in gilts was followed by the fall in the prices of corporate bonds.