Gary Siegel

The consumer confidence index increased to 113.7 in December from a revised 109.4 last month, The Conference Board reported Tuesday.

The University of Michigan's final December consumer sentiment index reading was 98.2, compared to the preliminary December 98.0, and the final November 93.8, according to market sources.

Manufacturing activity in the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City's region "improved considerably to its highest growth rate in over two years" in December, according to the bank's monthly manufacturing survey, released Thursday.

The composite index of Leading Economic Indicators was unchanged in November following an unrevised 0.1% increase in October, the Conference Board reported Thursday.

The Chicago Fed National Activity Index for November plunged to negative 0.27 from an upwardly revised negative 0.05 in October, first reported as negative 0.08, while the three-month moving average (CFNAI-MA3) narrowed to negative 0.14 from a revised negative 0.20 in October, first reported as negative 0.27 the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago reported Thursday.

Existing home sales rose 0.7% to a seasonally adjusted 5.61 million-unit rate in November from a downwardly revised 5.57 million sales pace the previous month, the National Association of Realtors announced Wednesday.

The region's non-manufacturing sector "rose in December," as the general business conditions index soared to 20.9 from 10.6 in November, this month's Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia Report on Business, released Tuesday, indicates.

The Federal Open Market Committee meeting minutes release can have an impact on Treasury Bond yields, especially when the tone differs from the mood of the post-meeting statement, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.

The New York region's service sector activity "held steady," according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York's December Business Leaders Survey, released Wednesday.

Builders' confidence in the market for new single-family homes surged as the National Association of Home Builders' housing market index rose to 70 in December from an unrevised 63 in November.

The region's manufacturing sector expanded in December, as the general business conditions index surged to 21.5 from 7.6 in November, this month's Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia Report on Business indicates.

The Empire State Manufacturing Survey showed "business activity grew modestly in New York State," the Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported Thursday, as the general business conditions index increased to 9.0 in December from 1.5 in November.

The labor market "looks a lot like it did before the recession, Fed chair Janet Yellen said in response to a question Wednesday.

The Federal Reserve has not fallen behind the curve, Fed chair Janet Yellen said in response to a question Wednesday.

The Federal Reserve's Summary of Economic Projections was changed slightly from the dot plot issued three months ago, with three 25 basis point rate hikes projected for next year.

The Federal Open Market Committee raised its fed funds target rate by 25 basis points to between 0.50% and 0.75%, according to a statement released Wednesday afternoon.

Industrial production was down 0.4% in November, the Federal Reserve reported Wednesday.

The federal government ran a $136.7 billion deficit in November, the Treasury Department reported Monday.

Consumer expectations on inflation "only shifted minimally since October, while expectations about the labor market became more negative," according to the Survey of Consumer Expectations, released by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on Monday.

The University of Michigan's preliminary December consumer sentiment index reading was 98.0, compared to the final November 93.8 and the preliminary November 91.6, according to market sources.