WASHINGTON — Interest rates on short-term Treasury bills rose in yesterday’s auction, with rates on six-month bills rising to the highest level in nearly two months.
The Treasury Department auctioned $32 billion in three-month bills at a discount rate of 0.100 percent, up from 0.095 percent last week. Another $30 billion was auctioned in six-month bills at a discount rate of 0.170 percent, up from 0.150 percent.
The three-month rate was the highest since these bills averaged 0.110 percent on March 7. The six-month rate was the highest since 0.175 percent on Feb. 7.
The discount rates reflect that the bills sell for less than face value. For a $10,000 bill, the three-month price was $9,997.47 while a six-month sold for $9,991.41. That would equal an annualized rate of 0.102 percent for the three-month bills and 0.173 percent for six-month bills.
Separately, the Federal Reserve said the average yield for one-year Treasury bills rose to 0.26 percent last week from 0.23 percent the previous week.
