11.   In financial markets, U.S. Treasury bond yields erased early losses after the report, which reinforced expectations for steady economic growth and low inflation.

12.   In NEW YORK, copper futures dropped as a decline in U.S. home sales reinforced expectations that consumer demand for copper will slow in the coming months.

13.   Lower prices of commodities reinforced expectations that inflation peaked last month, analysts said.

14.   Meantime, Bundesbank council member Guntram Palm and recent German economic reports reinforced expectations German interest rates are on hold.

15.   Meantime, Bundesbank council members and recent German economic reports reinforced expectations German interest rates are on hold.

16.   Reinforcing that expectation, the Evans Novak newsletter today said Greenspan wants a rate rise in May and has secured support from Fed Govs.

17.   Rates also rose because comments by Fed officials reinforcing expectations that the central bank would move to cool the economy at the next policy meeting, traders said.

18.   Prime Minister John Howard called for lower interest rates yesterday, reinforcing the expectation.

19.   Rates also rose because comments by Fed officials reinforced expectations that the central bank would move to cool the economy at the next policy meeting, traders said.

20.   Stocks soared and bonds rebounded after the report, which reinforces the expectation that no Federal Reserve interest-rate increase will come anytime soon.