Gary Siegel

Texas factory activity, as measured by the production index, "increased again in June," according to the monthly business activity survey conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, released Monday.

Pending home sales surged 6.1% to an index reading of 103.9 in May, after a revised 0.5% gain to 97.9 in April, according to a report released Thursday by the National Association of Realtors.

The Chicago Purchasing Managers' Business Barometer fell to 62.6 in June from 65.5 in May, the National Association of Purchasing Management-Chicago said Monday.

The seasonally adjusted Milwaukee Report on Business dipped to 60.6 in June from 63.5 in May, the Institute for Supply Management-Milwaukee reported Monday.

The Midwest Economy Index grew to 0.41 in May from a revised 0.11 in April, the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago reported Monday.

The University of Michigan's final June consumer sentiment index reading was 82.5, compared to the preliminary June 81.2, and the final May 81.9, according to market sources.

Manufacturing activity in the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City's region "slowed somewhat, while producers' expectations for future factory activity showed little change and remained at solid levels" in June, according to the bank's monthly manufacturing survey, released Thursday.

The Fed may move to raise interest rates as early as the first quarter of next year, as inflation moves toward the Fed's 2% target, St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank President James Bullard said in a televised interview Thursday.

Structural shifts in the labor markets can't be remedied by monetary policy, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond President Jeffrey M. Lacker said Thursday, and he added he believes that describes the current situation.

Initial jobless claims slipped 2,000 to 312,000 in the week ended June 21, the Labor Department said Thursday.

The Chicago Fed National Activity Index for May gained to positive 0.21 from a revised negative 0.15 reading in April, while the three-month moving average (CFNAI-MA3) slipped to positive 0.18 from a revised positive 0.31 in April, the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago reported Monday.

The region's manufacturing sector expanded at a faster pace in June, as the general business conditions index climbed to 17.8 from 15.4 in May, this month's Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia Report on Business indicates.

The composite index of Leading Economic Indicators was up 0.5% in May following a revised 0.3% increase in April, first reported as a 0.4% climb, the Conference Board reported Thursday.

Initial jobless claims slipped 6,000 to 312,000 in the week ended June 14, the Labor Department said Thursday.

2015 remains the year most members of the Federal Reserve Board members and bank presidents expect monetary policy tightening, according to the Fed's latest summary of economic projections released Wednesday.

The New York region's service sector increased in June, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York's Business Leaders Survey, released Tuesday.

Groundbreaking for new U.S. home construction slumped 6.5% in May to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.001 million units as building permits dropped 6.4% to an annual rate of 991,000 units, according to Commerce Department data released Tuesday.

Builders' confidence in the market for new single-family homes grew as the National Association of Home Builders' housing market index climbed to 49 in June from 45 in May.

The Empire State Manufacturing Survey showed "improved significantly for a second consecutive month for New York manufacturers," in June, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported Monday as the general business conditions index climbed to 19.28 in June from 19.01 in May.

The University of Michigan's preliminary June consumer sentiment index reading was 81.2, compared to the final May 81.9, the preliminary May 81.8, and the final April 84.1, according to market sources.