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?
Yield to maturity (YTM) is the rate of return expected on a bond which is held till maturity. It is essentially the internal rate of return on a bond and it equates the present value of bond future cash flows to its current market price.