Gary Siegel

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

The Chicago Fed National Activity Index for September narrowed to negative 0.22 from a revised negative 0.59 reading in August, while the three-month moving average (CFNAI-MA3) improved to negative 0.21 in September, from August’s unrevised negative 0.28, the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago reported Monday.

Economic data has been better than forecast lately, which is significant since the economy had been performing worse than expected for most of the year and perceptions of weakness often become a self-fulfilling prophecy, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta president Dennis Lockhart said.

The consumer price index rose 0.3%, while the core rate grew 0.1% in September, nearly what economists expected, data released by the Labor Department Wednesday showed.

Economic activity expanded in September at less than stellar rates, while business conditions outlooks were “weaker or less certain,” according to the Federal Reserve Board’s Beige Book report, released Wednesday.

Economic activity expanded in September at less than stellar rates, while business conditions outlooks were “weaker or less certain,” according to the Federal Reserve Board’s Beige Book report, released Wednesday.

Consumer prices rose 0.3%, while the core rate grew 0.1% in September, nearly what economists expected, data released by the Labor Department Wednesday showed.

Economic data has been better than forecast in October, significant, since the economy had been performing worse than expected for most of the year, and these perceptions often become a self-fulfilling prophecy, according to Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta President and Chief Executive Officer Dennis P. Lockhart.

One lesson of the 2008-2009 financial crisis is that protecting financial stability is “is at least as important as” effective monetary policy use “in the pursuit of macroeconomic objectives,” said Federal Reserve Board chairman Ben Bernanke.

Builders’ confidence in the market for new single-family homes improved as the National Association of Home Builders’ housing market index, a monthly gauge of builder sentiment, increased to 18 in October from 14 in September.

One lesson of the 2008-2009 financial crisis is that protecting financial stability is “is at least as important as” effective monetary policy use ‘in the pursuit of macroeconomic objectives,” according to Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben S. Bernanke.

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

The Treasury Department Tuesday auctioned $25 billion of 364-day bills at a 0.120% high yield, a price of 99.878667.

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 18 in October from 14 in September.

Tender rates for the Treasury Department’s latest 91-day and 182-day discount bills were higher, as the three-months incurred a 0.030% high rate, up from 0.015% the prior week, and the six-months incurred a 0.065% high rate, up from 0.045%.

The Empire State Manufacturing Survey showed “conditions for New York manufacturers continued to deteriorate in October,” the Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported Monday as the general business conditions index was nearly flat at negative 8.48 in October from negative 8.82 in September.

Tender rates for the Treasury Department’s latest 91-day and 182-day discount bills were higher, as the three-months incurred a 0.030% high rate, up from 0.015% the prior week, and the six-months incurred a 0.065% high rate, up from 0.045% 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 for New York manufacturers continued to deteriorate in October,” the Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported Monday as the general business conditions index was nearly flat at negative 8.48 in October from negative 8.82 in September.

Further monetary policy accommodation was not clearly needed when the Fed pulled its Twist, and the action taken “will do little to improve the near-term prospects for economic growth or employment, but they do pose some real risks,” Charles I. Plosser, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, said Wednesday.