JGB futures slip from 2-mth high as stocks climb

TOKYO, March 8 (Reuters) - Japanese government bond futures on Monday slipped further from a two-month peak hit last week, as growing optimism about global economic recovery prompted investors to shift money to stocks from government debt.

* Ever-important U.S. monthly employment data showed late last week that the world's biggest economy lost 36,000 jobs in February, less than the 50,000 job cuts expected by economists. [ID:nN04252324]

* Bond losses were limited as the JGB market received support from speculation that the Bank of Japan would further ease its monetary policy as soon as next week's meeting to help Japan's economy move out of deflation.

* March 10-year JGB futures edged down 0.04 point to 140.15 2JGBv1, sliding from 140.27, their highest since late December. JGB futures rose on Friday, when the Nikkei newspaper reported the BOJ had begun examining a further easing of its monetary policy. [ID:nTOE6230A7]

* The benchmark 10-year yield inched up 0.5 basis point to 1.310 percent JP10YTN=JBTC, staying near a two-month low of 1.290 percent first reached in late February.

* Tokyo's Nikkei share average .N225 jumped 1.6 percent in early trade after the U.S. jobs data, with exporters benefitting from a weaker yen. [.T] [FRX/]

* Outstanding loans held by Japanese banks fell 1.5 percent in February from a year earlier, matching a decline in January which was the biggest annual drop in four years, the BOJ said on Monday. [JPBNK=ECI] [ID:nTFD006326] (Reporting by Rika Otsuka; Editing by Joseph Radford)