Rates eased slightly Thursday reflecting improvement in mortgage-backed securities markets late Wednesday. This morning, weekly Jobless Claims rose to 348,000, above the consensus forecast of 335,000. January Durable Goods Orders fell 1.0%, in line with expectations. Federal Reserve Chairman Janet Yellen will testify before Congress beginning at 10:00 AM. Results from today’s 7-year Treasury auction will be released at 1:00 PM.