Gary Siegel

NEW YORK – Retail sales were up 1.7% from a year ago in the week ended October 16, but were down 0.7% from the prior week, according to the ICSC-Goldman Sachs Weekly Chain Store Sales Snapshot released Tuesday:

Despite “leaning” toward further monetary stimulus, “the decision is not clear cut” for additional quantitative easing, or QE2, and costs and benefits need to be debated, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta president Dennis Lockhart said Monday.

Builder confidence in the market for new single-family homes rose for the first time in five months, as the National Association of Home Builders’ housing market index jumped to 16 in October from an unrevised 13 in September.

NEW YORK – Despite “leaning” toward further monetary stimulus, “the decision is not clear cut,” and the costs and benefits will have to be debated, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta President Dennis Lockhart told the Savannah Rotary Club Monday.

NEW YORK - Tender rates for the Treasury Department’s latest 91-day and 182-day discount bills were higher, as the three-months incurred a 0.135% high rate, up from 0. 125% the prior week, and the six-months incurred a 0.170% high rate, up from 0.165% the week before.

NEW YORK - The Treasury Department said it will auction $25 billion 56-day cash management bills on Wednesday, October 20.

NEW YORK - The Treasury Department said Tuesday it will sell $22 billion of four-week discount bills Tuesday.

NEW YORK - Builders’ confidence in the market for new single-family homes rose for the first time in five months, as the National Association of Home Builders' housing market index - a monthly gauge of builder sentiment – jumped to 16 in October from an unrevised 13 in September.

NEW YORK - The University of Michigan's preliminary October consumer sentiment index reading was 67.9, compared to the final September 68.2, the preliminary September 66.6, and the final August 68.9, according to market sources.

NEW YORK - The Empire State Manufacturing Survey showed “conditions improved in October for New York State manufacturers,” the Federal Reserve Bank of New York today reported, as the general business conditions index surged to 15.73 in the month from 4.14 in September, the Fed reported.

The Treasury Department Thursday auctioned $13 billion of 29-year, 10-month bonds with a 3 7/8% coupon at a 3.852% high yield and a price of 100.397647.

NEW YORK - The Treasury Department today auctioned $13 billion of 29-year 10-month bonds with a 3 7/8% coupon at a 3.852% high yield, a price of 100.397647.

NEW YORK - The Treasury Department said it will auction $24 billion year bills on Tuesday, October 19.

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

Mortgage loan application volume surged 14.6% on a seasonally adjusted basis and refinancings jumped 21.0% during the week ended Oct. 8 due to lower mortgage rates, according to data released Wednesday by the Mortgage Bankers Association.

The Treasury Department Wednesday auctioned $21 billion of nine-year, 10-month notes with a 2 5/8% coupon at a 2.475% high yield and a price of 101.298742.

NEW YORK - The Treasury Department auctioned $21 billion of 9-year 10-month notes with a 2 5/8% coupon at a 2.475% high yield, a price of 101.298742.

NEW YORK - The Treasury Department today sold $25 billion 56-day cash management bills, dated October 14, due December 9, at a 0.150% high tender rate.

NEW YORK - The Treasury Department Wednesday auctioned $25 billion of four-week bills at a 0.140% high yield, a price of 99.988722.

NEW YORK - Mortgage loan application volume surged 14.6% on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier as refinancings jumped 21.0%, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending October 8, which was released Wednesday.