21.   Banking company issues were up, though, with analysts noting indications that their spreads may widen with lower yields.

22.   Besides making returns from stocks more attractive than bonds, the lower yields foretell a decline in interest rates.

23.   Bond prices and yields move in the opposite direction, so a lower yield shows that investors want casino bonds enough to pay more for them.

24.   Bond investors are already cutting California a few breaks by accepting lower yields on its new bonds.

25.   A balanced budget shrinks the deficit, which means the government would have to sell fewer bonds, making existing securities scarcer and more expensive with lower yields.

26.   A lower yield indicates that investors are willing to earn less interest from the government to hold its debt.

27.   A lower average yield indicates investors are willing to earn less interest to hold government debt.

28.   A rise in bond yields now would lay the foundation for lower yields next year by subduing inflation, he said.

29.   A lower yield on bonds makes stocks a relatively more attractive investment.

30.   A more timid approach would be to move it to the Vanguard GNMA fund, where you can expect a lower yield, but probably more stability.