Gary Siegel

The composite of the Leading Economic Index was up 1.0% in January following an unrevised 0.6% increase in December, the Conference Board said Thursday.

Calling for gradual and patient interest rate hikes, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas President Rob Kaplan warned that three major challenges to the economy’s health must be addressed.

Existing home sales fell 3.2% to a seasonally adjusted 5.38 million-unit rate in January.

With inflation remaining stubbornly low, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia President Patrick T. Harker said Wednesday he’s “penciled in” two rate hikes this year.

The region's non-manufacturing sector “continued to expand,” as the general business conditions index soared to 31.0 in February.

The University of Michigan's preliminary February consumer sentiment index reading was 99.9.

Prices paid and received increased in February, and wage growth also grew in the month, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York's February Business Leaders Survey, released Friday.

Builders’ confidence in the market for new single-family homes held as the National Association of Home Builders' housing market index was steady at 72 in February.

Industrial production slid 0.1% in January, the Federal Reserve reported Thursday.

Final demand PPI rose 0.4% in January, while the core rate, which excludes food and energy, also gained 0.4%.

Initial jobless claims rose to 230,000 in the week ended Feb. 10, the Labor Department said Thursday.

Manufacturers report continued growth in February, as demand, reflected in new orders, rose, and more firms added to their payrolls.

The Empire State Manufacturing Survey showed "business activity continued to expand in New York State."

Small business optimism grew in January, as a record number of owners said now is a good time to expand, the National Federation of Independent Business said Tuesday.

Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland President Loretta Mester suggested Tuesday three rate hikes would be appropriate this year and next.

The federal government ran a $49.2 billion surplus in January, the Treasury Department reported Monday.

Consumers’ inflation expectations dipped, but respondents see households’ financial condition improving.

Wholesale inventories increased 0.4% in December, the Commerce Department reported Friday. Wholesale sales rose 1.2%.

As the Baby Boom generation retires, economic growth may slow and fiscal deficits could grow, complicating monetary policy, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City President Esther George said late Thursday.

Discounting market volatility, Federal Reserve Bank of New York President William Dudley Thursday expressed confidence in the economy’s strength and said the Fed’s projections of three rate hikes this year “seem reasonable.”