JGB futures ticked higher through the..........>

JGBS: JGB futures ticked higher through the morning session and went into the

lunch break 5 ticks above settlement levels, with some modest bull flattening

creeping into the cash space.

- A softer Nikkei 225 and modest JPY gains also provided some support for JGBs.

- The BoJ increased the size of its 5-10 Rinban ops to Y480bn from the prev.

Y430bn, after it trimmed the frequency of purchases covering the bucket in its

March Rinban plan. If the BoJ leaves its 5-10 Year JGB purchase size unchanged

for the remainder of the month it will purchase Y230bn fewer 5-10 Year JGBs

during March vs. the prior purchase schedule.

- Elsewhere, BoJ's Harada offered little new in his latest address.