Gary Siegel

The Treasury Department said Thursday it will auction $29 billion 91-day bills and $27 billion 182-day discount bills Monday.

The region's manufacturing sector expanded in January at a swifter pace than in December, as the general business conditions index climbed to 7.3 from 6.8 in December, this month’s Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia Report on Business indicates.

The Treasury Department Wednesday auctioned $30 billion of four-week bills at a 0.015% high yield and a price of 99.998833. The coupon equivalent was 0.015%. The bid-to-cover ratio was 4.66. Tenders at the high rate were allotted 37.43%.

Builders’ confidence in the market for new single-family homes improved but remained low as the National Association of Home Builders’ housing market index — a monthly gauge of builder sentiment — rose to 25 in January, its highest level since June 2007, from 21 in December.

The Treasury Department Wednesday auctioned $30 billion of four-week bills at a 0.015% high yield, a price of 99.998833.

Builders’ confidence in the market for new single-family homes improved but remained quite low as the National Association of Home Builders' housing market index - a monthly gauge of builder sentiment – gained to 25 in January, its highest level since June 2007, from 21 in December.

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

Tender rates for the Treasury Department’s latest 91-day and 182-day discount bills were higher, as the three-months incurred a 0.025% high rate, up from 0.010% the previous week, and the six-months incurred a 0.060% high rate, up from 0.050%.

The Empire State Manufacturing Survey showed “manufacturing activity expanded in New York State in January,” the Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported Tuesday, as the general business conditions index improved to 13.48 in January from 8.19 in December.

Tender rates for the Treasury Department’s latest 91-day and 182-day discount bills were higher, as the three-months incurred a 0.025% high rate, up from 0.010% the prior week, and the six-months incurred a 0.060% high rate, up from 0.050% the week before.

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

The Empire State Manufacturing Survey showed “manufacturing activity expanded in New York State in January,” the Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported Tuesday as the general business conditions index improved to 13.48 in January from 8.19 in December.

The University of Michigan’s preliminary January consumer sentiment index reading was 74.0 compared to the final December 69.9, according to market sources.

Monetary policy does not influence economic activity as much as people think, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond president Jeffrey Lacker said Friday.

The Fed is not achieving either part of its dual mandate, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago president and chief executive officer Charles Evans repeated Friday, according to prepared text of a speech for delivery to the Indiana Bankers Association Economic Outlook Forum, which was practically the same as his speech earlier in the week to an Illinois Rotary Club gathering.

Noting that his forecast for growth of 3.0% in 2011 missed dramatically, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond President Jeffrey M. Lacker said he sees a “growing sense that there are relatively persistent impediments holding back economic expansion,” especially the housing market.

Protecting the financial system has “costs,” but despite that, regulators should try to minimize costs, Federal Reserve Board Governor Elizabeth A. Duke said Friday.

The University of Michigan's preliminary January consumer sentiment index reading was 74.0, compared to the final December 69.9, the preliminary December 67.7, and the final November 64.1, according to market sources.

The Treasury Department today auctioned $13 billion of 29-year 10-month bonds with a 3 1/8% coupon at a 2.985% high yield, a price of 102.746849.

The Treasury Department said it will sell $15 billion 10-year inflation-indexed bonds on Thursday, Jan. 19.