Gary Siegel

NEW YORK - Pending home sales climbed 2.1% to a reading of 90.8 in February, according to a report released Monday by the National Association of Realtors.

With the economy strengthening, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia president Charles Plosser Friday took the opportunity to lay out his preferred policy-accommodation exit strategy.

The University of Michigan’s preliminary March consumer sentiment index reading was 67.5, compared to the preliminary 68.2 in March, the final 77.5 in February, and the preliminary 75.1 in February, according to market sources.

NEW YORK – With the economy strengthening, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia President and Chief Executive Officer Charles I. Plosser Friday took the opportunity to layout his preferred policy accommodation exit strategy, which should be implemented in the “not-too-distant future,” and includes simultaneously raising rates and shrinking the balance sheet, while tying the pace of asset sales to the pace and size of interest rate increases.

NEW YORK - The University of Michigan's preliminary March consumer sentiment index reading was 67.5, compared to the preliminary March 68.2, the final February 77.5, and the preliminary February 75.1, according to market sources.

The Treasury Department said it will auction $29 billion of seven-year notes on March 30.

The Treasury Department sold $11 billion of inflation-indexed nine-year, 10-month Treasury protected securities, or TIPs, at a 0.920% yield, an adjusted price of 102.584550, with a 1 1/8% coupon.

NEW YORK – The Treasury Department sold $11 billion of inflation-indexed 9-year 10-month TIPs at a 0.920% yield, an adjusted price of 102.584550, with a 1 1/8% coupon.

NEW YORK - The Treasury Department said it will auction $29 billion seven-year notes on Wednesday, March 30.

NEW YORK - The Treasury Department said Thursday it will auction $32 billion 91-day bills and $30 billion 182-day discount bills Monday.

NEW YORK - The Treasury Department said it will auction $35 billion two-year notes on Monday, March 28, and $35 billion five-year notes on Tuesday, March 29.

The too-big-to-fail question remains a “very significant issue” for policymakers, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas president Richard Fisher said Wednesday.

NEW YORK - The Treasury Department Wednesday sold $5 billion 56-day cash management bills, dated March 24, due May 19, at a 0.055% high tender rate.

“Manufacturing activity in the central Atlantic region expanded for the sixth straight month,” according to the monthly business activity survey conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.

The economy should grow at slightly above 3% a year as the recovery strengthens, and the recent price spike in commodities and energy that are exerting upward pressure on inflation should be transitory, according to Sandra Pianalto, president and chief executive of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland.

NEW YORK - The Treasury Department Tuesday auctioned $40 billion of four-week bills at a 0.075% high yield, a price of 99.994167.

NEW YORK – “Activity in the broad service sector picked up in March, pushed by gains at non-retail firms,” according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond service-sector activity survey, released today, “Retail sales activity remained soft, with continued weakness in big-ticket sales. Shopper traffic flattened and retail inventories dipped compared to a month earlier. In contrast, revenues climbed sharply at non-retail services firms. Overall, survey respondents expected business to strengthen during the next six months.”

NEW YORK – “Manufacturing activity in the central Atlantic region expanded for the sixth straight month,” according to the monthly business activity survey conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. “Looking at the main components of activity, shipments and new orders grew more slowly, while employment growth held steady. Other indicators varied slightly but suggested continued solid activity. District contacts reported that backlogs grew at a slightly slower pace and that increases in capacity utilization and delivery times eased somewhat, while inventories grew at a somewhat higher rate.”

NEW YORK – The economy should grow at slightly above 3% a year as the recovery strengthens, and the recent price spike in commodities and energy that are exerting upward pressure on inflation, should be transitory, according to Sandra Pianalto, president and CEO, of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland.

Tender rates for the Treasury Department’s latest 91-day and 182-day discount bills were higher, as the three-months incurred a 0.095% high rate, up from 0.090% the previous week, and the six-months incurred a 0.150% high rate, up from 0.135%.