Gary Siegel

While economists tend to agree monetary policy is "about right," they disagree on fiscal policy, according to a survey by the National Association of Business Economists.

Despite its decline as a result of labor for participation drops, the unemployment rate "remains as good an indicator of overall labor market health as it has been historically," Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis President and CEO James Bullard said Wednesday.

The Federal Open Market Committee will continue to taper throughout the year, with asset purchases finished by the fourth quarter, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta President Dennis Lockhart said Wednesday.

The Treasury Department Wednesday auctioned $32 billion of four-week bills at a 0.035% high yield, a price of 99.997278.

The New York region's service sector decreased in February, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York's Business Leaders Survey, released Wednesday.

Tender rates for the Treasury Department's latest 91-day and 182-day discount bills were lower, as the three-months incurred a 0.050% high rate, off from 0.095% the prior week, and the six-months incurred a 0.075% high rate, down from 0.110% the week before.

Builders' confidence in the market for new single-family homes fell as the National Association of Home Builders' housing market index slumped to 46 in February from 56 in January.

The Empire State Manufacturing Survey showed "business conditions improved marginally for New York manufacturers," in February, but weakened from January, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported Tuesday as the general business conditions index fell to 4.48 in February from 12.51 in January.

The Treasury Department Friday sold $45 billion 58-day cash management bills, dated Feb. 18, due April 17, 2014, at a 0.050% high tender rate.

Forecasters adjusted their estimates of economic growth down for this quarter but up for the following two quarters, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia's survey of Professional Forecasters, released Friday.

The University of Michigan's preliminary February consumer sentiment index reading was 81.2, compared to the final January 81.2, the preliminary January 82.5, and the final December 80.4, according to market sources.

January import prices rose 0.1% and export prices grew 0.2%, the U.S. Labor Department said Friday.

The Treasury Department Thursday auctioned $16 billion of 30-year bonds with a 3 5/8% coupon at a 3.690% high yield, a price of 98.826296.

The Treasury Department said Thursday it will auction $30 billion 91-day bills and $30 billion 182-day discount bills Tuesday.

The Treasury Department said it will auction $45 billion 58-day cash management bills on Feb. 14.

The Treasury Department said Thursday it will auction $9 billion 30-year inflation-indexed notes on Feb. 20.

Business inventories rose 0.5% to $1.708 trillion in December, while sales increased 0.1% to $1.318 trillion, the Commerce Department reported Thursday.

Retail sales slid 0.4% in January after dipping a revised 0.1% in December, originally reported as a 0.2% increase, the Commerce Department said Thursday.

Initial jobless claims climbed 8,000 to 339,000 in the week ended February 8, the Labor Department said Thursday.

The Treasury Department auctioned $24 billion of 10-year notes with a 2 3/4% coupon at a 2.795% high yield, a price of 99.609744.