Indian government bonds erased early advances on ​Thursday, as a report stating that the central bank is mulling ‌a rate hike to control the rupee's decline overshadowed ​positive global cues.

The benchmark 6.48 per cent 2035 bond ⁠yield was at 7.1225 per cent, as of 10:15 a.m. IST, rocketing back up from a low of 7.0194 per cent hit earlier, and against its ‌previous close of 7.0761 per cent. Bond prices move inversely to yields.

"The report has caught the bond market ‌completely off guard, triggering an immediate reassessment of the ‌rate ⁠outlook and wiping out the early gains," trader with ⁠a state-run bank said.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is considering all options to stabilise the rupee, including an interest rate hike, Bloomberg News reported ​on Thursday, citing people ‌familiar with the matter.

Indian rupee has been one of the worst performing Asian currencies, dropping dropped over 6 per cent against the US dollar since US-Iran war started on February 28.

It ‌had plunged for the last nine consecutive sessions, including ​hitting multiple record lows, prompting the central bank to intervene strongly, which also impacts rupee ⁠liquidity.

The central bank will conduct a three-year dollar/rupee buy/sell swap auction of $5 billion on May 26, which will lead to an ‌infusion of around ₹47,500 crore.

Bonds had started the session on a positive note as oil prices fell and US President Donald Trump said that negotiations with Iran were in the final stages, even as investors remained wary about the outcome as disruption to supply continued.

The benchmark Brent ‌crude contract declined to around $105 per barrel, and easing oil prices also ​pulled US Treasury yields lower, pushing the 10-year yield down by 10 basis points to around 4.57 per cent.

RATES

India's ⁠overnight index swap rates jumped on reports about discussion over a ⁠rate hike from the central bank.

The one-year swap was at 6.31 per cent, while the two-year rate jumped ‌to 6.57 per cent, both up by over 10 bps from previous close. The five-year rate was largely steady around 6.80 per cent.

Published on May 21, 2026