Gary Siegel

The Chicago Fed National Activity Index for November gained to positive 0.60 from a revised negative 0.07 reading in October, while the three-month moving average (CFNAI-MA3) improved to positive 0.25 from a revised positive 0.12 in October, the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago reported Monday.

Manufacturing activity in the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City's region " fell slightly in December, but producers' expectations for future activity improved modestly," according to the bank's monthly manufacturing survey, released Friday.

Businesses still expect inflation to run 1.9% in the coming year, same as they did last month, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta's business inflation expectations survey, released Friday.

The Treasury Department auctioned $29 billion of seven-year notes, with a 2 3/8% coupon, a 2.385% high yield, a price of 99.935882.

The Treasury Department Thursday auctioned $16 billion of four-year four-month inflation-indexed notes with a 0.125% coupon, a negative 0.375% high yield, an adjusted price of 103.2271040.

The Treasury Department said Thursday it will sell $30 billion of four-week discount bills Monday.

The Treasury Department said Thursday it will auction $32 billion 91-day bills and $28 billion 182-day discount bills Monday.

The region's manufacturing sector expanded at a faster pace in December, as the general business conditions index climbed to 7.0 from 6.5 in November, this month's Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia Report on Business indicates.

The composite index of Leading Economic Indicators was up 0.8% in November following a revised 0.1% increase in October, the Conference Board reported 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 Treasury Department auctioned $35 billion of five-year notes, with a 1 1/2% coupon, a 1.600% high yield, a price of 99.521314.

The Treasury Department Tuesday auctioned $32 billion of two-year notes with a 1/4% coupon at a 0.345% yield, a price of 99.810817.

The Treasury Department Tuesday auctioned $30 billion of four-week bills at a 0.010% high yield, a price of 99.999222.

Builders' confidence in the market for new single-family homes rose as the National Association of Home Builders' housing market index climbed to 58 in December from an unrevised 54 in November.

Tender rates for the Treasury Department's latest 91-day and 182-day discount bills were mixed, as the three-months incurred a 0.065% high rate, down from 0.070% the prior week, and the six-months incurred a 0.090% high rate, down from 0.095% the week before.

The Treasury Department said Monday it will sell $30 billion of four-week discount bills Tuesday.

The Empire State Manufacturing Survey showed "conditions were flat for New York manufacturers," the Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported Monday as the general business conditions index fell to positive 0.98 in December from negative 2.21 in November.

The University of Michigan's preliminary December consumer sentiment index reading was 82.5, compared to the final November 75.1, the preliminary November 72.0, and the final October 73.2, according to market sources.

U.S. inflationary pressures were slightly higher in November, as the U.S. future inflation gauge climbed to 100.3 from the revised October 99.7 reading, originally reported 99.5, according to data released Friday morning by the Economic Cycle Research Institute.

Newly issued Treasury securities held in stripped form increased about $1.188 billion in November to a total of $203.701 billion, the Bureau of the Public Debt reported Thursday.