Gary Siegel

Low interest rates will persist, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago President Charles Evans said Wednesday.

It is "unlikely" the Federal Reserve would adopt negative rates, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis President Neel Kashkari said Wednesday.

Texas service sector activity "increased in September," according to business executives responding to the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas' Texas Service Sector Outlook Survey, as the revenue index doubled to 13.0 from 6.5.

Service sector activity "improved in September," according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond service-sector activity survey, released Tuesday.

Manufacturing activity in the central Atlantic region "continued to soften in September, but somewhat less so than in August," according to the monthly business activity survey conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, although the manufacturing index narrowed to negative 8 in September from negative 11 in August.

The consumer confidence index increased to 104.1 in September from a revised 101.8 last month, The Conference Board reported Tuesday.

Texas factory activity, as measured by the production index, "activity increased markedly in September," according to the monthly Texas Manufacturing Outlook Survey conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, released Monday.

By not raising the federal funds rate target threatens the economic recovery and creates imbalances that have led to recessions, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston President and CEO Eric S. Rosengren said Friday.

Manufacturing activity in the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City's region "increased moderately" in September, according to the bank's monthly manufacturing survey, released Thursday.

The composite index of Leading Economic Indicators was down 0.2% in August following a revised 0.5% gain in July, the Conference Board reported Thursday.

Existing home sales declined 0.9% to a seasonally adjusted 5.33 million-unit rate in August from a downwardly revised 5.38 million sales pace the previous month, the National Association of Realtors announced Thursday.

The Chicago Fed National Activity Index for August plunged to negative 0.55 from a downwardly revised positive 0.24 in July, first reported as positive 0.27, while the three-month moving average (CFNAI-MA3) narrowed to negative 0.07 from a revised negative 0.09 in July, first reported as negative 0.10 the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago reported Thursday.

The fed funds target should go up once this year if "no new major risks" pop up and the economy continues on its current course, Federal Reserve Board Chair Janet Yellen said Wednesday.

One rate hike is predicted this year by the summary of Economic Projections, released by the Fed Wednesday, and the fed funds rate target is seen at just over 1.00% at the end of next year.

The Federal Open Market Committee left the federal funds rate target at 0.25% to 0.50%, according to a statement released by the Fed Wednesday.

The region's non-manufacturing sector "grew at a slightly slower pace" in September, as the general business conditions index declined to 23.7 from 24.8 in August, this month's Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia Report on Business, released Tuesday, indicates.

Builders' confidence in the market for new single-family homes was higher as the National Association of Home Builders' housing market index rose to 65 in September from a downwardly revised 59 in August.

Industrial production fell 0.4% in August, the Federal Reserve reported Thursday.

The region's manufacturing sector expanded in September, as the general business conditions index soared to 12.8 from 2.0 in August, this month's Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia Report on Business indicates.

U.S. current account deficit fell to $119.9 billion in the second quarter of 2016 from a $131.8 billion deficit in the first quarter of, the Commerce Department reported Thursday.