Gary Siegel

Just about one in three firms increased their payrolls in the second quarter and 39% of respondents said they expect to hire in the next six months, according to the latest National Association for Business Economics survey, released Monday.

Confidence among home builders fell back to its lowest level in more than a year, as the National Association of Home Builders’ housing market index — a monthly gauge of builder sentiment — dropped to 14 in July, the group announced Monday.

NEW YORK - Tender rates for the Treasury Department’s latest 91-day and 182-day discount bills were mixed, as the three-months incurred a 0.155% high rate, up from 0.150% the prior week, and the six-months incurred a 0.195% high rate, down from 0.200% the week before.

NEW YORK - The Treasury Department said Monday it will auction $25 billion 56-day cash management bills on Wednesday, July 21.

NEW YORK - The Treasury Department said Monday it will sell $32 billion of four-week discount bills Tuesday.

NEW YORK - Builders’ confidence in the market for new single-family homes slipped back to its lowest level in more than a year, as the National Association of Home Builders' housing market index - a monthly gauge of builder sentiment – dropped to 14 in July from June’s downwardly revised 16, originally reported as 17, the group announced Monday.

NEW YORK – Just about one in three firms increased payrolls in the second quarter and 39% of respondents expect to hire in the next six months, according to the latest National Association for Business Economics survey, released Monday.

The University of Michigan’s preliminary July consumer sentiment index reading fell more than analysts anticipated, plunging to 66.5 from a final June mark of 76.0, according to market sources Friday.

NEW YORK - The University of Michigan's preliminary July consumer sentiment index reading was 66.5, compared to the final June 76.0, the preliminary June 75.5, and the final May 73.6 reading, according to market sources.

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

NEW YORK – The region's manufacturing sector continued to improve but at a slower pace, as the general business conditions index slipped to 5.1 in July from 8.0 in June, this month’s Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia Report on Business indicates.

NEW YORK - The Empire State Manufacturing Survey showed “while conditions for New York manufacturers continued to improve in July, the pace of growth in business activity slowed substantially over the month,” the Federal Reserve Bank of New York today reported, as the general business conditions index slumped to 5.08 in the month from 19.57 in June, the Fed reported.

NEW YORK - The Treasury Department today auctioned $13 billion of 29-year 10-month bonds with a 4 3/8% coupon at a 4.080% high yield, a price of 105.053815.

NEW YORK - The Treasury Department today sold $25 billion 56-day cash management bills, dated July 15, due Sept. 9, at a 0.160% high tender rate.

The Treasury Department yesterday auctioned $21 billion of nine-year 10-month notes with a 3 1/2% coupon at a 3.119% high yield, a price of 103.199671.

NEW YORK - The Treasury Department auctioned $21 billion of 9-year 10-month notes with a 3 1/2% coupon at a 3.119% high yield, a price of 103.199671.

NEW YORK - The Treasury Department today auctioned $32 billion of four-week bills at a 0.150% high yield, a price of 99.988333.

The Treasury Department yesterday auctioned $35 billion of three-year notes with a 1% coupon at a 1.055% yield, a price of 99.838004.

Confidence in the nation’s economy among chief executive officers was unchanged in the second quarter of 2010, as the Conference Board measure of CEO confidence held steady at 62.

While lenders contend that current conditions represent a return to “more traditional” underwriting standards from a period of laxity, rather than credit tightening, Federal Reserve Board chairman Ben S. Bernanke emphasized the critical role that lending to small business plays in economic recovery.