Gary Siegel

The University of Michigan’s final December consumer sentiment index reading was 69.9, up from the preliminary December 67.7 and the final November 64.1, according to market sources.

The composite index of leading economic indicators rose 0.5% in November following a 0.9% surge in October, the Conference Board reported Thursday.

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

The composite index of Leading Economic Indicators rose 0.5% in November following a 0.9% surge in October, the Conference Board reported Thursday.

The University of Michigan's final December consumer sentiment index reading was 69.9, compared to the preliminary December 67.7, the final November 64.1, the preliminary November 64.2, and the final October 60.9, according to market sources.

The Chicago Fed National Activity Index for November widened to negative 0.37 from a revised negative 0.11 reading in October, while the three-month moving average (CFNAI-MA3) held at negative 0.24 in November, the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago reported Thursday.

Mortgage application volume decreased 2.6% in the week ended Dec. 16 despite mortgage rates again dropping to year lows, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s weekly mortgage applications survey.

The Treasury Wednesday auctioned $29 billion of seven-year notes with a 1 3/8% coupon, a 1.430% high yield and a price of 99.635210. The bid-to-cover ratio was 2.68.

Existing home sales increased 4.0% in November to a seasonally adjusted 4.42-million-unit rate, following a downwardly revised 4.25-million-unit rate in October, the National Association of Realtors announced Wednesday.

The Treasury Department auctioned $29 billion of seven-year notes, with a 1 3/8% coupon, a 1.430% high yield, a price of 99.635210.

Existing home sales increased 4.0% in November to a seasonally adjusted 4.42 million-unit rate, after a downwardly revised 4.25 million unit rate in October, the National Association of Realtors announced Wednesday. NAR announced its benchmark revisions.

The Treasury Department Tuesday auctioned $35 billion of five-year notes, with a 7/8% coupon, a 0.880% high yield, and a price of 99.975602.

Dismissing the need for further monetary policy accommodation, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis president Narayana Kocherlakota said in an interview on CNBC that he is "slightly more upbeat" about economic growth next year, adding that unless the forecast for inflation "softens considerably" while unemployment rises, there is no need for Fed action.

The Treasury Department auctioned $35 billion of five-year notes, with a 7/8% coupon, a 0.880% high yield, a price of 99.975602.

The Treasury Department Tuesday auctioned $35 billion of four-week bills at a zero high yield, a price of par.

Dismissing the need for further monetary policy accommodation, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis President Narayana Kocherlakota said in a televised interview he is “slightly more upbeat” about economic growth next year and unless the forecast for inflation “softens considerably” while unemployment rises there’s no need for Fed action.

The president and Congress need to enact fiscal policies to get the country moving again, according to Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas president Richard Fisher, who said the Fed “has done everything it can, and more.”

The president and Congress need to enact fiscal policies to get the country moving again, according to Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas President and CEO Richard W. Fisher, who said the Fed “has done everything it can, and more.”

The general business conditions index climbed to 10.3 from 3.6 in November, this month’s Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia Report on Business indicated.

Industrial production decreased 0.2% in November after an unrevised 0.7% jump in October, while capacity use slid to 77.8% from a revised 78.0% in October, the Federal Reserve reported Thursday.