Treasury Yields Decline

Published March 13, 2026

U.S. Treasury yields rose midweek as inflation reports revealed February’s consumer prices remained above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target. Yields continued to rise toward the end of the week as the latest employment data showed the labor market remains resilient.

On Wednesday, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that the consumer price index (CPI), which measures the cost of dozens of everyday consumer goods, increased 0.3% in February, in line with economists’ forecast. The CPI year-over-year came in at 2.4%, which was also in line with economists’ projections.

“These inflation numbers provide some comfort, but this month’s spike in energy prices make them a relic of the past,” said global head of market strategy at TradeStation, David Russell. “Investors and the Federal Reserve are in uncharted territory right now, taking their cues from crude oil and tanker traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.”

The benchmark 10-year Treasury note yield opened the week of March 9 at 4.13% and traded as high as 4.28% on Thursday. The 30-year Treasury bond opened the week at 4.77% and traded as high as 4.89% on Wednesday.

On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Labor reported that initial claims for unemployment decreased by 1,000 to 213,000 for the week ending March 7, below economists’ expectations of 215,000. Continuing claims decreased by 21,000 to 1.85 million.

“The level of claims is just very low, plain and simple,” said chief economist at High Frequency Economics, Carl Weinberg. “The data show no sign of the layoffs we would expect in a weakening labor market during the early days of a hypothetical recession.”

The 10-year Treasury note yield finished the week of 3/9 at 4.28% while the 30-year Treasury note yield finished the week at 4.90%.