Patrick Temple-West

WASHINGTON — Personal income increased 0.3% in March, while personal spending increased 0.6%, in line with economists’ estimates and the largest monthly increase in spending since October, the Commerce Department reported yesterday.

WASHINGTON - Construction spending unexpectedly increased 0.2% in March to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $847 billion, as public construction increased by the largest amount in 13 months, the Commerce Department reported today.

WASHINGTON - Personal income increased 0.3% in March, while personal spending increased 0.6%, in line with economists’ estimates and the largest monthly increase in spending since October, the Commerce Department reported today.

Gross domestic product increased at a 3.2% annualized rate in the first quarter of 2010, below economists’ estimates, and core personal consumption expenditures grew at the smallest pace in 41 years, the Commerce Department reported Friday.

Gross domestic product increased at a 3.2% annualized rate in the first quarter of 2010, below economists’ estimates, and core personal consumption expenditures grew at the smallest pace in 41 years, the Commerce Department reported today.

WASHINGTON — Initial jobless claims fell 11,000 to 448,000 in the week ending April 24, the second straight weekly decline and lowest number of claims in four weeks, the Labor Department reported yesterday.

WASHINGTON – Initial jobless claims fell 11,000 to 448,000 in the week ending April 24, the second straight weekly decline and lowest number of claims in four weeks, the Labor Department reported today.

WASHINGTON — The Federal Open Market Committee yesterday held its key policy rate, the federal funds target rate, unchanged at zero to 0.25%, and reiterated that economic conditions warrant “exceptionally low” interest rates “for an extended period,” even though “economic activity has continued to strengthen and that the labor market is beginning to improve.”

The Virginia Public School Authority today expects to price $113.2 million of school financing bonds for seven local government issuers. The deal will be sold as $52.6 million of Series 2010A tax-exempt bonds, and $60.6 million of Series 2010B taxable Build America Bonds.

WASHINGTON - The Federal Open Market Committee today held its key policy rate, the federal-funds target rate, unchanged at zero to 0.25%, and reiterated that economic conditions warrant “exceptionally low” interest rates “for an extended period,” even though “economic activity has continued to strengthen and that the labor market is beginning to improve.”

WASHINGTON — Wake County, N.C., on Wednesday is expected to competitively price $421.7 million of general obligation refunding bonds, its largest refunding deal on record.

WASHINGTON — Durable goods orders unexpectedly declined 1.3% in March, the first drop in four months, as the category was pulled lower by transportation equipment orders, the Commerce Department reported Friday.

WASHINGTON — Rebounding from a record low in February, new home sales soared 26.9% in March to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 411,000, the largest monthly increase in 43 years, the Commerce Department reported Friday.

WASHINGTON - New home sales soared 26.9% in March to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 411,000, the largest monthly increase in 43 years, rebounding from a record low in February, the Commerce Department reported today.

WASHINGTON - Durable goods orders unexpectedly declined 1.3% in March, the first drop in four months, pulled lower by transportation equipment orders, the Commerce Department reported today.

WASHINGTON — Existing home sales increased at a 6.8% annual rate to 5.35 million in March, above economists’ estimates, as the homebuyers’ tax credit is set to expire, the National Association of Realtors reported yesterday.

WASHINGTON — The producer price index rose 0.7% in March, more than economists estimated, as the 12-month change in producer prices increased 6.0%, the largest gain in 18 months, the Labor Department reported yesterday.

WASHINGTON — Initial jobless claims fell 24,000 to 456,000 in the week ending April 17, the largest weekly decline in claims since February and the first drop in three weeks, the Labor Department reported yesterday.

WASHINGTON - Existing home sales increased at a 6.8% annual rate to 5.35 million in March, above economists’ estimates as the homebuyers’ tax credit is set to expire, the National Association of Realtors reported today.

WASHINGTON - The producer price index rose 0.7% in March, more than economists estimated, as the 12-month change in producer prices increased 6.0%, the largest gain in 18 months, the Labor Department reported today.