PANews reported on March 12 that bond traders are no longer fully pricing in expectations of a Federal Reserve rate cut in 2026. Interest rate swaps linked to the Fed's policy meeting date showed that traders on Thursday anticipated only a 24-basis-point rate cut this year, less than the 25-basis-point cut typically seen in a full cut, compared to expectations of around 30 basis points on Wednesday evening. This shift comes amid a continued decline in U.S. Treasuries, with the yield on the two-year Treasury note, most sensitive to Fed policy changes, rising 4 basis points to near 3.70%. U.S. Treasuries faced pressure this week as investors worried that the Middle East conflict would continue to push up energy prices, leading to renewed inflation.