Gary Siegel

The composite index of Leading Economic Indicators grew 0.2% in January following an unrevised 0.5% gain in December, the Conference Board reported Thursday.

The Treasury Department Wednesday auctioned $45 billion of four-week bills at a 0.115% high yield, a price of 99.991056.

The Treasury Department Tuesday sold $35 billion 64-day cash management bills, dated Feb. 20, due April 25, at a 0.130% high tender rate.

Tender rates for the Treasury Department's latest 91-day and 182-day discount bills were higher, as the three-months incurred a 0.115% high rate, up from 0.085% the prior week, and the six-months incurred a 0.130% high rate, up from 0.120% the week before.

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

Builders' confidence in the market for new single-family homes slipped as the National Association of Home Builders' housing market index fell to 46 in February from 47 in January.

The University of Michigan's preliminary February consumer sentiment index reading was 76.3, compared to the final January 73.8, the preliminary January 71.3 reading, and the final December 72.9, according to market sources.

FOMC actions "have been needed, understood, and generally supported," according to Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland President Sandra Pianalto, but future action must be watched to insure "that we don't introduce more uncertainty and create problems that hamper our ability to provide a balancing weight to our economy if needed down the road."

The Empire State Manufacturing Survey showed "conditions for New York manufacturers improved for the first time since the summer of last year," the Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported Friday as the general business conditions index rebounded to positive 10.04 in February from negative 7.78 in January.

The Treasury Department Thursday auctioned $16 billion of 30-year bonds with a 3 1/8% coupon at a 3.180% high yield, a price of 98.941680.

Using thresholds instead of dates and open-ended outright purchases instead of "Operation Twist" turned monetary policy more effective, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis President James Bullard said Thursday.

The Treasury Department said it will auction $35 billion 64-day cash management bills on Tuesday, Feb. 19.

The Treasury Department said Thursday it will auction $9 billion 30-year inflation-indexed notes on Thursday, Feb. 21.

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

The Treasury Department auctioned $24 billion of 10-year notes with a 2% coupon at a 2.046% high yield, a price of 99.585912.

January import prices grew 0.6% and export prices rose 0.3%, the U.S. Labor Department said Wednesday.

The U.S. economy will remain sluggish, with GDP growth between 2% and 2.5%, Atlanta Fed President and CEO Dennis Lockhart said Tuesday, in line with the 2.1% average since the recession started.

The Treasury Department Tuesday auctioned $32 billion of three-year notes with a 3/8% coupon at a 0.411% yield, a price of 99.892773.

The Treasury Department Tuesday auctioned $45 billion of four-week bills at a 0.080% high yield, a price of 99.993778.

The Treasury Department Tuesday sold $40 billion 64-day cash management bills, dated Feb. 13, due April 18, at a 0.100% high tender rate.