Gary Siegel

The region's manufacturing sector expanded in November, although the general business conditions index declined to 7.6 from 12.8 in October, this month's Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia Report on Business indicates.

Gradual increases in the fed funds rate remain appropriate as the neutral rate stays at a low level by historical standards, Federal Reserve Board Chair Janet Yellen testified Thursday.

Builders' confidence in the market for new single-family homes was flat as the National Association of Home Builders' housing market index held at 63 in November from an unrevised 63 in October.

Industrial production was unchanged in October, the Federal Reserve reported Wednesday.

The U.S. October producer price index was a weaker than expected, as the Bureau of Labor Statistics Wednesday reported the final demand PPI was flat, while the core rate fell 0.2%.

The New York region's service sector activity "declined for a fourth consecutive month," according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York's November Business Leaders Survey, released Wednesday.

The Empire State Manufacturing Survey showed "business activity stabilized in New York State," the Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported Tuesday, as the general business conditions index reversed to positive 1.5 in November from negative 6.8 in October.

Without "significant negative economic news" before then, the Federal Open Market Committee is on track for a December rate hike, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston President Eric Rosengren said Tuesday.

Consumer expectations were little changed in October, according to the Survey of Consumer Expectations, released by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on Monday.

The University of Michigan's preliminary November consumer sentiment index reading was 91.6, compared to the final October 87.2 and the preliminary October 87.9, according to market sources.

The dual mandate has nearly been achieved and while there is a "quite strong" case for increasing the fed funds rate, the future is uncertain and there is no "preset" plan for monetary policy, Federal Reserve Vice Chair Stanley Fischer said Friday.

Labor market conditions "increased modestly and momentum remained high in October," as the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City Labor Market Conditions Indicators (LMCI) gained to 0.12 in October from a revised 0.08 in September, first reported as 0.11, according to the Bank.

The largest proposition on ballots, a $9 billion California statewide measure that provides school districts, community college districts and charter schools with matching state funds for school construction, appears to have been approved, while Golden State voters were nearly split on the proposal to require a vote if the state wants to issue more than $2 billion of revenue bonds.

Consumer credit increased by $19.3 billion in September to $3.687 trillion, the Federal Reserve reported Monday.

Standards for commercial and industrial loans were "basically unchanged" in the third quarter of 2016, while standards for commercial real estate loans were tightened, according to the Fed's senior loan officer opinion survey, released Monday.

Despite having predicted four federal funds rate hikes this year, and to date having delivered none, the Fed is not behind the curve on rates, according to a Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco Economic Letter released Monday.

About $70.3 billion of bond referenda are on ballots across the nation on Nov. 8, the largest total since 2006, with the lion's share coming from the state of California, a staggering $41.72 billion, according to Ipreo data.

The Federal Reserve's Labor Market Conditions Index, a compilation of 19 labor market measures, rose to positive 0.7 in October from negative 0.1 in September.

The Conference Board's Employment Trends Index (ETI) grew to 128.97 in October from a downwardly revised 128.29 in September, and is up 1.0% from a year ago, the group announced Monday.

Newly issued Treasury securities held in stripped form increased about $4.692 billion in October to a total of $229.637 billion, the Bureau of the Public Debt reported Friday.