Higher interest rates, driven by inflation expectations, is forcing an adjustment to equity markets. The S&P 500 is poised to gap lower today following slides in the Asia Pacific region and Europe. Japanese and Taiwanese indices advanced by steep losses were seen in China, Hong Kong, and India. Europe's Dow Jones Stoxx 600 is off about 0.7% in late morning turnover, among its steepest loss here in February. The US 10-year Treasury yield around 1.37%, while European yields are narrowly mixed. Despite the upgrade by S&P to AA+ from AA, New Zealand bonds, like Australian bonds, have sold off hard. Yields jumped 13 and ... (full story)