WASHINGTON, June 26 (Xinhua) -- Interest rates on short-term U.S. Treasury bills increased to highest level since early 2001 in auctions held on Monday.

    The U.S. Treasury Department auctioned 15 billion dollars in three-month bills at a discount rate of 4.905 percent, up from 4.830 percent last week. The rate was the highest since 4.92 percent on February 5, 2001.

    Another 14 billion dollars in six-month bills were auctioned at a discount rate of 5.11 percent, up from 5.06 percent last week. The rate was the highest since 5.36 percent on January 2, 2001.

    Separately, the U.S. Federal Reserve said Monday that the average yield for one-year Treasury bills, a popular index for making changes in adjustable rate mortgages, rose to 5.24 percent last week from 5.13 percent the previous week. Enditem