Gary Siegel

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.

The composite index of Leading Economic Indicators was up 0.1% in February following a 0.2% drop in January, the Conference Board reported Thursday.

The region's manufacturing sector expanded in March, as the general business conditions index climbed to positive 12.4 from negative 2.8 in February, this month's Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia Report on Business indicates.

The Federal Open Market Committee decided not to raise interest rates, but the new “dot plot” cut its median expectation for fed funds rate to 0.90% in December from 1.40%.

Industrial production fell 0.5% in February, the Federal Reserve reported Wednesday.

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

Builders’ confidence in the market for new single-family homes was unchanged as the National Association of Home Builders' housing market index remained at 58 in March.

The Empire State Manufacturing Survey showed "business activity steadied for New York manufacturers," the Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported Tuesday, as the general business conditions index improved to positive 0.62 in March from negative 16.64 in February.

Consumers increased their expectations for inflation, according to the February Survey of Consumer Expectations, released by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on Monday.

The federal government ran a $192.6 billion deficit in February the Treasury Department reported Thursday.

Small business optimism dropped in February as measured by the National Federation of Independent Business' monthly Small Business Optimism index, which fell to 92.9 from 93.9 in January.