Gary Siegel

The Chicago Fed Midwest Manufacturing Index climbed 0.8% in February to a seasonally adjusted level of 96.3, as three of the four regional sectors improved, the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago reported Monday.

U.S. inflationary pressures were slightly lower in March, as the U.S. future inflation gauge dipped to 104.0 from a downwardly revised 105.3 in February, originally reported as 105.6, according to data released Friday morning by the Economic Cycle Research Institute.

Newly issued Treasury securities held in stripped form decreased about $1.351 billion in March to a total of $199.524 billion, the Bureau of the Public Debt reported Thursday.

Low rates play an "important role" in supporting economic recovery, but the current monetary policy stance is "overly accommodative" and the Fed must be patient about achieving long-term goals, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City President and Chief Executive Officer Esther L. George said Thursday.

The Treasury Department said it will auction $13 billion 29-year, 10-month bonds on April 11.

The Treasury Department said it will auction $32 billion three-year notes on April 9.

The Treasury Department said Thursday it will auction $35 billion 91-day bills and $30 billion 182-day discount bills Monday.

The European Central Bank announced its Governing Council held interest rates at its latest monetary policy meeting Thursday.

Asset purchases should still be appropriate "well into the second half of this year," Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco President and CEO John C. Williams said Wednesday.

About 4,898,700 online job postings appeared on leading Internet job boards in March, a decrease of 158,000 from February, the Conference Board reported Wednesday.

The U.S. services sector expanded at a slightly slower pace in March as the non-manufacturing business activity composite index was 54.4 in the month, compared to 56.0 in February, on a seasonally adjusted basis, the Institute for Supply Management reported Tuesday.

The University of Michigan's final March consumer sentiment index reading was 78.6, compared to the preliminary March 71.8, the final February 77.6, and the final January 73.8, according to market sources.

The Treasury Department auctioned $29 billion of seven-year notes, with a 1.125% coupon, a 1.248% high yield, a price of 99.178276.

The Treasury Department said it will auction $25 billion year bills on April 2.

The Treasury Department said Thursday it will auction $35 billion 91-day bills and $30 billion 182-day discount bills Monday.

Manufacturing activity in the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City's region "fell at a slower rate, but producers were considerably more optimistic about future months," according to the bank's monthly manufacturing survey, released Thursday.

The Chicago Purchasing Managers' Business Barometer fell to 52.4 in March from 55.6 in February, the National Association of Purchasing Management-Chicago said Thursday.

Despite possible costs and risks, monetary policy needs to remain very accommodative, as restrictive fiscal policy holds back the recovery, Federal Reserve Bank of New York President and Chief Executive Officer William C. Dudley said Monday.

Tender rates for the Treasury Department's latest 91-day and 182-day discount bills were lower, as the three-months incurred a 0.075% high rate, down from 0.085% the prior week, and the six-months incurred a 0.105% high rate, off from 0.110% the week before.

The Treasury Department said Monday it will sell $45 billion of four-week discount bills Tuesday.