Gary Siegel

The consumer confidence index climbed to 49.5 in November from an upwardly revised 48.7 last month, the Conference Board reported yesterday.

NEW YORK - The Treasury Department auctioned $42 billion of five-year notes, with a 2 1/8% coupon, a 2.175% high yield, a price of 99.764325.

NEW YORK - The Treasury Department today auctioned $32 billion of four-week bills at a 0.060% high yield, a price of 99.995500.

NEW YORK – “Activity in the service sector contracted more slowly in November,” according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond service-sector activity survey, released today, “The fall in retail sales halted and shopper traffic declined only slightly. In addition, the contraction in big-ticket sales slowed, owing in part to an uptick in sales of new and used automobiles. Inventory reductions nearly matched last month's. Revenues at services firms contracted; however, the decline was not as widespread as in October. Looking ahead six months, survey respondents were much more optimistic about business prospects than they were last month.”

NEW YORK - The consumer confidence index climbed to 49.5 in November from an upwardly revised 48.7 last month, The Conference Board reported this morning.

NEW YORK – “Manufacturing activity in the central Atlantic region expanded for the seventh straight month but was virtually flat on balance this month,” according to the monthly business activity survey conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. “Looking at the main components of activity, growth in shipments and new orders tapered off, while employment returned to negative territory after being positive for the last two months. Other indicators were generally in line with a month ago. Capacity utilization continued to grow more slowly, while backlogs edged slightly lower than a month ago. Vendor delivery times were virtually unchanged, while manufacturers reported slower growth in inventories.”

Price instability, both inflation and deflation, is a “significant source of financial instability,” Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia president Charles Plosser told an audience yesterday.

The region’s manufacturing sector picked up, as the general business conditions index increased to 16.7 in November from 11.5 in October, this month’s Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia Report on Business indicates.

The composite index of leading economic indicators gained 0.3% in October, its seventh straight gain, the Conference Board reported yesterday.

NEW YORK - The Treasury Department said it will auction $32 billion seven-year notes on Wednesday, Nov. 25.

NEW YORK - The Treasury Department said it will auction $44 billion five-year notes on Tuesday, Nov. 24 and $42 billion two-year notes on Monday, Nov. 23.

NEW YORK – The commercial leading indicator for brokerage activity rose 0.9% to 102.4 in the third quarter from 101.5 in the second quarter, but remains down 11.1% from the 115.3 posted in the third quarter of last year, the National Association of Realtors said today.

NEW YORK – The region's manufacturing sector picked up, as the general business conditions index increased to 16.7 in November from 11.5 in October, this month’s Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia Report on Business indicates.

NEW YORK - The composite index of Leading Economic Indicators gained 0.3% in October, its seventh straight gain, the Conference Board reported today.

NEW YORK – Price instability, both inflation and deflation, is a “significant source of financial instability,” Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia President and CEO Charles I. Plosser told an audience today.

Interest rates may not be raised until 2012, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis president James Bullard told business leaders yesterday.

NEW YORK – Interest rates may not be raised until 2012, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis President James Bullard told area business leaders today.

Builders’ confidence in the market for new single-family homes was steady in November, as the National Association of Home Builders’ housing market index held at 17 after October’s number was revised to 17 from 18, the group announced yesterday.

The economy has improved, but much work remains, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland president and chief executive officer Sandra Pianalto said yesterday.

The time to tighten monetary policy is when “economic growth is strong enough and well-enough established, even if it is not yet especially vigorous,” Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond president Jeffrey Lacker said yesterday in remarks before the Virginia House Appropriations Committee.