Prices of short- and intermediate-term issues also rose, and the yield on the two-year note slipped 7 basis points, to 6.01 percent.

A wave of buying helped push prices of most securities, but particularly short- to intermediate-term issues, higher early in the session.

Prices of intermediate-term issues were unchanged on the day, while long-term bonds dipped by about a quarter-point.

In the secondary Treasury note market, prices of some intermediate-term issues dipped slightly.

And as has been the case recently, longer maturities continue to be in better shape than short- to intermediate-term issues.

"And that will hit short- and intermediate-term issues particularly hard, because they are the most vulnerable right now."

The trader added that the release of the retail sales figures was followed by good buying of short- to intermediate-term issues.

The selloff, which began Friday, has been particularly severe among short- to intermediate-term issues.

We have seen pretty good buying of intermediate-term issues by both foreign and domestic clients.

For the second straight session, short- to intermediate-term issues outperformed longer-dated securities.