Rates inched higher Thursday in volatile trading. This morning, the European Central Bank (ECB) made no monetary policy changes, as expected. In the U.S., weekly Jobless Claims rose to 233,000, a bit under forecast. December New Home Sales fell 9.3% to 625,000 annual units, well below expectations. Stocks moved higher. Results from today’s 7-year Treasury auction will be released at 1:00 PM.