Treasury notes and Elevated inflation

Treasury 10-year notes rose, erasing half of yesterday's losses, on speculation the Federal Reserve will be less aggressive in cutting interest rates and focus on inflation. The difference in yields between two- and 10-year notes narrowed for a third day as traders pared bets the Fed will reduce the target lending rate by a half-percentage point at its April 30 meeting. Policy makers cut borrowing costs less than expected yesterday, saying inflation remained ``elevated.''

Futures on the Chicago Board of Trade show 70 percent odds the Fed will cut the 2.25 percent lending target by a half- percentage point at its meeting on April 30, compared with an 88 percent chance yesterday. The rest of the bets are for a quarter-point reduction.

Gold, used to hedge against rising prices, plunged the most since June 2006, falling 4.1 percent on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Crude oil for April delivery fell $2.04, or 1.9 percent, to $107.38 a barrel. Treasuries tumbled yesterday, pushing up two-year note yields by the most since 2001, after the Fed cut the target lending rate by three-quarters of a percentage point to 2.25 percent and said measures of inflation are ``elevated.''