Gary Siegel

NEW YORK – Chief executive officers have cut their projections for gross domestic product growth this year to 1.9% from 2.7% in an earlier survey, according to the Business Roundtable's third quarter 2010 CEO Economic Outlook Survey, which was released Tuesday.

NEW YORK – “Activity in the service sector remained weak in September,” according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond service-sector activity survey, released today, “A steep drop in big-ticket sales weighed down total retail sales, and shopper traffic continued to decline this month. Retail inventory depletion slowed, compared to a month ago. Revenues also contracted at non-retail services firms. Looking ahead six months, however, retailers expected demand for goods to pick up, and services providers anticipated solid demand for their services.”

NEW YORK – “Manufacturing activity in the central Atlantic region pulled back in September after expanding during the previous seven months,” according to the monthly business activity survey conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. “The index of overall activity was pushed lower as shipments and employment edged into negative territory. Other indicators also suggested softer activity. District contacts reported that the volume of new orders flattened, order backlogs turned negative, and delivery times held steady. Furthermore, manufacturers reported growth in capacity utilization flat lined, while inventories grew at a slightly quicker pace.”

NEW YORK - The consumer confidence index slipped to 48.5 in September from a downwardly revised 53.2 last month, The Conference Board reported this morning.

NEW YORK – Retailers saw sales climb 0.4% in the week ended September 25, according to the ICSC and Goldman Sachs Weekly Chain Store Sales Index, as the month continues to swing back and forth between positive and negative sales.

The Treasury Department Monday auctioned $36 billion of two-year notes with a 3/8% coupon at a 0.441% yield and a price of 99.868724. The bid-to-cover ratio was 3.78.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago’s Midwest manufacturing index dropped 1.4% in August to a seasonally adjusted level of 79.9, the Chicago Fed reported Monday.

Manufacturing activity in Texas, as measured by the production index, was better in August, according to the monthly business activity survey conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, which was released Monday.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago’s national activity index declined in August to negative 0.53 from a revised negative 0.11 reading in July, which had originally been reported as zero. That compares with negative 0.56 in August 2009.

NEW YORK - The Treasury Department today auctioned $36 billion of two-year notes with a 3/8% coupon at a 0.441% yield, a price of 99.868724.

NEW YORK - The Chicago Fed Midwest Manufacturing Index dropped 1.4% in August to a seasonally adjusted level of 79.9 after the July report showed a revised 1.9% increase to 81.0, originally reported as a 2.2% climb to 81.4, the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago reported today.

NEW YORK - Tender rates for the Treasury Department’s latest 91-day and 182-day discount bills were lower, as the three-months incurred a 0.155% high rate, off from 0.160% the prior week, and the six-months incurred a 0.190% high rate, down from 0.195% the week before.

NEW YORK - The Treasury Department said Monday it will sell $25 billion of four-week discount bills Tuesday.

NEW YORK - The Treasury Department said it will auction $25 billion 57-day cash management bills on Wednesday, September 29.

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

NEW YORK - The Chicago Fed National Activity Index for August declined to negative 0.53 from a revised negative 0.11 reading in July, originally reported as zero.

Mortgage loan application volume declined 1.4% during the week ended Sept. 17 on a seasonally adjusted basis as both refinancing and purchase activity fell, the Mortgage Bankers Association said Wednesday.

NEW YORK - The Treasury Department today sold $25 billion 56-day cash management bills, dated Sept. 23, due Nov. 18, at a 0.145% high tender rate.

NEW YORK – Mortgage loan application volume declined 1.4% on a seasonally adjusted basis in the week ended September 17, while surging 22.9% on an unadjusted basis from the prior week, which included the Labor Day holiday, the Mortgage Bankers Association said Wednesday.

Weekly chain store sales fell 1.4% in the week ending Sept. 18, according to the ICSC-Goldman Sachs Weekly Chain Store Sales Snapshot released Tuesday. Year-over-year sales improved 3.3%.