Gary Siegel

The Chicago Purchasing Managers’ Business Barometer soared to 53.6 in March from 47.6 in February, the National Association of Purchasing Management-Chicago said Thursday.

The seasonally adjusted Milwaukee Report on Business gained to 57.78 in March from 55.22 in February, the Institute for Supply Management-Milwaukee reported Thursday.

The Midwest Economy Index gained to positive 0.07 in February from a negative 0.09 in January, the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago said Thursday.

After having among the most accommodative assumptions on the Federal Open Market Committee, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago President and Chief Executive Officer Charles L. Evans said Wednesday he is “comfortable” with the projections in the latest Summary of Economic Projections.

About 5,130,500 online job postings appeared on leading internet job boards in March, a decrease of 31,500 from February, the Conference Board reported Wednesday.

Private-sector employment increased by 200,000 in March, on a seasonally adjusted basis, ADP reported Wednesday.

Caution is the appropriate step for the Federal Open Market Committee to take when it comes to raising rates, Federal Reserve Board Chair Janet L. Yellen said Tuesday.

Texas service sector activity “continued to reflect expansion in March,” according to business executives responding to the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas' Texas Service Sector Outlook Survey, as the revenue index slipped to 6.4 from 9.7.

The consumer confidence index increased to 96.2 in March from a revised 94.0 last month, The Conference Board reported Tuesday.

Texas factory activity, as measured by the production index, “expanded slightly in March,” according to the monthly business activity survey conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, released Monday.

Pending home sales increased 3.5% to an index reading of 109.1 in February, after a revised 3.0% decline to 105.4 in January, according to a report released Monday by the National Association of Realtors.

Manufacturing activity in the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City's region “remained negative” in March, according to the bank's monthly manufacturing survey, released Thursday.

A rate hike may be made soon, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis President James Bullard said Thursday.

Add Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia President Patrick T. Harker to the list of Fed officials who believe the Federal Open Market Committee should raise the fed funds target rate.

Service sector activity “improved in March following February's weakness,” according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond service-sector activity survey, released Tuesday.

Manufacturing activity in the central Atlantic region “expanded in March,” according to the monthly business activity survey conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, as the manufacturing index soared to positive 22 in March from negative 4 in February.

The region's non-manufacturing sector surged in March, as the general business conditions index grew to 13.9 from 3.6 in February, this month's Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia Report on Business indicates.

The Federal Open Market Committee should raise rates “at one of the coming meetings” as a hike is justified by the economy’s momentum, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta President and Chief Executive Officer Dennis Lockhart said Monday.

Existing home sales fell 7.1% to a seasonally adjusted 5.08 million-unit rate in February from an unrevised 0.4% increase to a 5.47 million pace the previous month, the National Association of Realtors announced Monday.

The Chicago Fed National Activity Index for February slumped to negative 0.29 from a revised positive 0.41 reading in January, while the three-month moving average (CFNAI-MA3) narrowed to negative 0.07 from a revised negative 0.12 in January, the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago reported Monday.