Japan's Bond Futures Rise Again as Market Watches Overseas Rates
Listen to the story
Japan's bond market went up again on the 30th. A bond is a way for a government to borrow money. People who buy bonds get money back later, with extra money called interest.
Futures are deals to buy or sell something in the future, at a price agreed now. Japan's bond futures rose for a second day in a row. This means more people wanted to buy them.
Cash bonds also went up. Cash bonds are real bonds that people buy and sell right now, not in the future.
The Japanese market is watching interest rates in other countries. Interest rate is the cost of borrowing money, or the reward for saving it. If rates go up in other countries, it can push Japan's bond prices down. So people in Japan feel nervous about this.
There was also an auction in Japan. An auction is an event where people offer prices to buy something. The government held an auction to buy back some old bonds. These bonds will become due in more than 10 years but less than 25 years.
The bid-to-cover ratio for this auction was 3.93 times. This number shows how many people wanted to sell their bonds compared to how many the government wanted to buy. A higher number can mean strong interest.
Vocabulary15 words
- bond
- a paper that shows money lent to a government or company
- futures
- a deal to buy or sell something at a future time
- cash bonds
- real bonds bought or sold right now
- interest rates
- the cost of borrowing money
- auction
- an event where people offer prices to buy or sell
- bid-to-cover ratio
- a number showing how much people wanted to sell compared to what was bought
- domestic
- inside one's own country
- pressure
- a strong push or force
- nervous
- worried or not calm
- government
- the group of people who run a country
- borrow
- to take money and pay it back later
- due
- needed to be paid at a certain time
- rose
- went up
- market
- a place where things are bought and sold
- overseas
- in another country
📚 Ready to use these words in a real conversation?
Practice live with a real tutor on Preply.
Quiz
Answer key
1. They rose for a second day 2. Interest rates in other countries 3. 3.93
✅ Nice work on the quiz!
Keep the momentum going — book a live English lesson with a Preply tutor.
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Japan's _____ market went up again on the 30th.
A bond is a way for a government to _____ money.
_____ are deals to buy or sell something in the future.
Japan's bond futures rose for a second _____ in a row.
_____ bonds also went up.
The Japanese market is watching interest _____ in other countries.
If rates go up in other countries, it can push Japan's bond prices _____.
There was also an _____ in Japan.
The government held an auction to buy back some old _____.
The bid-to-cover _____ for this auction was 3.93 times.
🎓 Enjoyed this story?
Turn today's reading into real speaking practice with a live Preply tutor.
