Goldman Sachs Sees UK 10‑Year Gilt Yield Falling to 4% by End‑2026
Goldman Sachs expects the 10‑year gilt yield to drop to 4% by end‑2026, implying an approximate 40 basis point fall from current levels and signaling a sizable rally in UK government bonds. The bank links this projection to sustained disinflation that would permit the Bank of England to start easing policy, compressing term premia and reducing nominal yields across the curve. A move of this scale would materially reduce the sovereign's interest expense compared with 2024 peak funding costs, improving near‑term fiscal headroom. The shift also reorders risk and return for market participants: long-duration holders would record mark-to-market gains while new cash buyers face lower forward coupons. Goldman strategist George Cole frames the outlook as dominated by inflation trends rather than episodic political noise, making macro prints the primary market driver. The forecast implies a flatter gilt curve and tighter spreads versus peers if UK inflation revisions remain downward, altering relative value across global sovereigns. Short-end rates will still follow BoE signaling, so central bank communications become the critical variable for front-month positioning. Conversely, an upside inflation surprise would invert the narrative, forcing rapid repricing and steeper yields as risk premia widen. For the UK Treasury, the path described means lower annual debt servicing; for institutions, the tactical play is duration and convexity management. Market participants should prioritize incoming CPI data, BoE meeting minutes, and gilt auction demand as near-term catalysts that can validate or overturn the prognosis. In sum, Goldman projects a bond-market pivot led by easing inflation and policy loosening, a scenario that favors existing long holders but compresses entry yields for new investors. Investors and policymakers should treat the call as conditional on continued disinflation and clear central bank signaling rather than a foregone outcome.
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