Neubauer calls for the return of the 30-year Treasury

Nickolas Neubauer, chairman of the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) futures market, has called on the US Treasury to return to issuing 30-year bonds. The issuing of more long-term debt is likely to boost trading in the CBOT’s 30-year US Treasury bond future.

Neubauer, speaking on US television, said that given the current economic conditions and President Bush’s recently announced fiscal stimulus package, the 30-year bond will be needed for future US financing. “The problem I see is that post-2010, we’re going to have huge financing, and that’s why I think we should start putting away 30-year money right now,” said Neubauer.

“Back when we had surpluses, that’s when it [the 30-year bond] was ended. Now we’ve swung to substantial deficits," he added. "Plus we have a substantial stimulus programme. And even before all that, post-2010, everyone agreed we were going to have large deficits again, because of the baby boomers now collecting social security.”

The CBOT introduced its 30-year Treasury bond future in 1977, when the US treasury was primarily issuing 30-year debt. The contract subsequently became the exchange's most highly traded contract. Today, however, the 10-year contract is the benchmark.

Neubauer said he was happy with Bush’s plan to stimulate the US economy. “I think the fact that the stimulus programme has edged up from $200 billion to $674 billion does make it a major factor in how we look at deficits over the coming years… that creates interest in our markets, and volatility.”