TREASURIES-US bonds keep bearish tone after strong jobs data

U.S. Treasury yields were mostly higher on Thursday after data showing job growth remains solid, which strengthened the argument of central bank officials in recent days that changes towards lower interest rates will not be rushed. Yields, which move inversely to prices, had declined overnight partly because of a flight to safety amid fears of an escalation of the conflict in the Middle East after Pakistan fired a retaliatory strike at Iran. But the bearish bias that characterised the bond market this week took hold again after the Labor Department said on Thursday that the number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits fell last week to the lowest level since late 2022, suggesting job growth likely remained solid in January.