Gary Siegel

NEW YORK - Texas factory activity, as measured by the production index, was better in November, according to the monthly business activity survey conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, released today.

The University of Michigan's final November consumer sentiment index reading was 71.6, according to market sources.

NEW YORK - The Treasury Department auctioned $29 billion of seven-year notes, with a 2 1/4% coupon, a 2.253% high yield, a price of 99.980673.

NEW YORK - The Treasury Department today sold $25 billion 55-day cash management bills, dated November 26, due January 20, 2011, at a 0.160% high tender rate.

NEW YORK - The Treasury Department said Wednesday it will auction $29 billion 91-day bills and $28 billion 182-day discount bills Monday.

NEW YORK - Manufacturing activity in the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City’s region “increased in November, and producers remained optimistic about future activity. Price indexes in the survey continued to edge higher, particularly for raw materials,” according to the bank’s monthly manufacturing survey, released Thursday.

NEW YORK - The University of Michigan's final November consumer sentiment index reading was 71.6, compared to the preliminary November 69.3, the final October 67.7, and the final September 68.2, according to market sources.

NEW YORK - Mortgage loan application volume grew 2.1% on a seasonally adjusted basis in the week ended November 19, the Mortgage Bankers Association Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey indicated.

WASHINGTON — Existing homes sales fell 2.2% in October to a seasonally adjusted 4.43 million, the National Association of Realtors reported Tuesday.

Members of the Federal Open Market Committee deemed it necessary to act to promote a stronger economic recovery since progress toward the dual mandate of maximum employment and price stability was termed “disappointingly slow,” with the consensus being it would remain slow, according to minutes of the meeting Nov. 2-3, which were released Tuesday.

NEW YORK – Members of the Federal Open Market Committee deemed it necessary to act to promote a stronger economic recovery since progress toward the dual mandate of maximum employment and price stability was termed “disappointingly slow,” with the consensus being it would remain slow, according to minutes of the meeting November 2-3, which were released Tuesday.

NEW YORK - The Treasury Department auctioned $35 billion of five-year notes, with a 1 3/8% coupon, a 1.411% high yield, a price of 99.826792.

NEW YORK - The Treasury Department Tuesday auctioned $25 billion of four-week bills at a 0.150% high yield, a price of 99.988750.

NEW YORK – “A stronger performance at non-retail services firms pushed up overall service sector activity this month,” according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond service-sector activity survey, released today, “However, weakness persisted in the retail sector, with overall softness in retail sales and another steep drop in big-ticket sales. In addition, shopper traffic withered. However, inventories edged up only slightly. Looking ahead six months, retail merchants remained optimistic about consumer demand, although their exuberance of a month ago waned. At services firms, survey respondents also remained upbeat, but less enthusiastic than in October.”

NEW YORK – “Manufacturing activity in the central Atlantic region advanced somewhat faster in November,” according to the monthly business activity survey conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. “All broad indicators — shipments, new orders and employment — posted solid gains. Other indicators were also generally positive. District contacts reported that growth in capacity utilization grew at a faster pace, while growth in order backlogs exhibited more moderate weakness than a month ago. Delivery times were virtually unchanged, while manufacturers reported that inventories grew at a somewhat higher rate.”

WASHINGTON – Real gross domestic product increased 2.5% in the third quarter, revised higher from 2.0% growth seen in the advance estimate last month and exceeding economists’ estimates as the core personal consumption expenditures number was unrevised, the Commerce Department reported Tuesday.

The Treasury Department Monday auctioned $35 billion of two-year notes with a 1/2% coupon at a 0.520% yield and a price of 99.960259.

The Chicago Fed national activity index for October improved to negative 0.28 from a revised negative 0.52 reading in September, originally reported as negative 0.58.

Consumers are unsure about much these days and that plays a big role in stifling the economy, and it’s a trend that policymakers may not have the tools to resolve, according to Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis president Narayana Kocherlakota.

NEW YORK – Consumers are unsure about much these days and that plays a big role in stifling the economy, and it’s a trend that policymakers may not have the tools to resolve, according to Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis President Narayana Kocherlakota.