BEIJING — The Chinese central bank halted its government bond purchases Friday in an attempt to slow a one-way bonds trade that's put unwanted downward pressure on the yuan, analysts said. China's 10-year bond yield plunged to a record low this month, while the Chinese currency traded in Hong Kong on Wednesday hit its weakest against the U.S. dollar in more than a year. Compared with the U.S. Treasury 10-year bond yield of 4.68%, the yield on the Chinese government 10-year bond is around 1.64%. Supporting the yuanChina has also recently ramped up efforts to support the yuan by issuing bills in the Hong Kong market. The PBOC will auction 60 billion yuan in six-month bills in Hong Kong on Jan. 15, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority said Thursday.

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Persons: that's, Larry Hu, Hu, didn't, Pan Gongsheng, Peter Alexander, Lynn Song, Zong Ke, Zhiwei Zhang, Brian Tycangco, Zong Liang, Haizhong Chang, corporates, Fitch Bohua, Bao, Ying Shan Lee Organizations: People's Bank of China, U.S, People's Bank of, gov, Macquarie, PBOC, Ben Advisors, Wequant, Management, U.S . Treasury, Treasury, Stansberry, Hong Kong Monetary Authority, Bank of China, Fitch Locations: Beijing, BEIJING, Hong Kong, People's Bank of China, China, U.S, Shanghai, outflows