Definition Treasury notes are sold at regularly scheduled public auctions. The competitive bids at these auctions determine the interest rate paid on each Treasury note issue. Twenty-three primary dealers (as of July 2006) are authorized and obligated to submit competitive tenders at Treasury auctions. Dealers can hold, resell, or trade the securities with other firms. The Treasury announces the amount, date and time of the 5-year note auction monthly. The 5-year notes are announced around the third week of the month (usually on Thursday) and then auctioned the following week (usually Thursday). The 5-year notes are issued (settled) on the last day of the month, unless it falls on a weekend or holiday, and then they are issued on the next business day. Released on 12/28/2006 Yield Awarded 4.704 % Highlights December's 5-year Treasury note was awarded at 4.704 percent, a little better than expectations with a strong bid-to-cover of 2.50. Demand was particularly strong from non-dealers, who were awarded about 49% of the auction vs. a 35% share in November. Despite the strength of the auction, Treasuries showed no immediate reaction. Trends This chart reflects the monthly average yields for 5-year notes in the secondary market. These could be at slight odds with the auction averages in the primary market. Data Source: Haver Analytics Consensus Data Source: Market News International Legal Notices | © 1998-2006 Econoday, Inc. All Rights Reserved.