U.S. savings bond sales climbed in February.

Sales of U.S. savings bonds totaled $646 million in February, 24% ahead of the total a year ago, the Treasury Department reported. The Treasury said the sales total last month was the best February performance in nine years and was up sharply from sales of $520 million in February, 1986. For the first five months of the fiscal year, sales of savings bonds total $6.31 billion, more than double the $2.46 billion sold during the same period a year ago.