NEW YORK: US Treasuries were steady at higher levels, with the 10-year note below 2 percent, on Monday after the US government released retail sales data for March.

The benchmark 10-year note was up 1/32, yielding 1.98 percent, little changed from late Friday.

US retail sales rose more than expected in March as Americans took high gasoline prices in stride and bought a range of goods, suggesting the economy's growth in the first quarter did not slow as much as many had feared.

Total retail sales increased 0.8 percent, the Commerce Department said on Monday, after a slightly downwardly revised 1.0 percent rise in February that was previously reported as a 1.1 percent advance.   

The strong retail sales report should have been bearish for bonds, but analysts said bonds were getting the benefit of a safe-haven bid related to concern about the euro zone.