1.   Some investors assert that the lack of a spending accord, for now, will buoy bonds by choking off economic growth.

2.   Also buoying bonds was a consumer sentiment report, which showed a smaller-than-expected increase.

3.   Better-than-usual results of an auction of six-year government bonds helped to buoy bonds in general, traders said.

4.   Bonds also were buoyed as gold prices declined, traders said.

5.   Bonds were also buoyed by expectations that unemployment remained high in June, helping to keep inflation at bay.

6.   Bonds also were buoyed as gold prices declined and the dollar gained against the German mark, traders said.

7.   Bonds also were buoyed by a slump in the price of gold and a jump in stock prices, traders said.

8.   Bonds have been buoyed since last Thursday as traders bought securities to reverse bets on lower prices, and higher yields.

9.   Bonds were also buoyed when the Fed entered the market to buy securities.

10.   Bonds also were buoyed by expectations that Lehman Brothers and other securities firms will lengthen the durations of the indexes many investors use to compare their performance.