Japan's 10-year gov't bond yield surges to 2.88 pct

Japan's benchmark 10-year government bond yield hit 2.88 percent on Thursday, the highest level since November 1996, public broadcaster NHK reported.

The surge in Japanese government bond yield reflects mounting investor concern over Japan's fiscal sustainability and persistent inflation.

June 2026 ranked as the second-warmest June worldwide and the hottest ever in Western Europe, according to the European Union (EU)'s Copernicus Climate Change Service.

The report said Western Europe experienced record-breaking heatwaves during the month, with an average temperature of 20.74 Celsius, more than 3 Celsius above the 1991-2020 average, surpassing the previous record set in June 2025.

Copernicus said the late-June heatwave came only weeks after an intense spell in May, with another emerging in early July. The June heat shattered monthly and all-time records in several countries and contributed to heat-related deaths, underscoring the growing frequency and severity of extreme heat events.

Globally, June 2026 ranked as the second-warmest June on record, with an average surface air temperature of 16.54 degrees Celsius, 0.56 degrees Celsius above the 1991-2020 average for the month and second only to June 2024.

The global average sea surface temperature between 60 degrees south and 60 degrees north reached 20.86 degrees Celsius in June, the highest ever recorded for the month. The figure was 0.01 degrees Celsius higher than the previous June record set in 2024, partly reflecting the development of strong El Nino conditions in the equatorial Pacific.

Samantha Burgess, strategic lead for climate at the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, said June 2026 highlighted the continued accumulation of heat in the climate system.

Record warmth in Western Europe and persistently high ocean temperatures have intensified heatwaves and further warmed the oceans, increasing risks to people, ecosystems and infrastructure, she said.