c instructions plural: an outline or manual of technical procedure : directions d: a code that tells a computer to perform a particular operation 2: the action, practice, or profession of teaching
The yield curve describes the yields for Treasury bills, notes and bonds. It's called a curve because, if it were plotted on a graph, the yields would normally slope up. That's because Treasury bills, which are of short duration, don't usually pay as high a yield as the notes and even longer-term bonds. Why?
This can easily be done by comparing a TIPS yield to that of a nominal U.S. Treasury bond. For example, if a nominal 10-year Treasury bond is priced with a yield to maturity (YTM) of 5% and a similar TIPS is priced with a YTM of 2.5%, the implied inflation expectation would be 2.5%.