Economic indicators

The value of retail sales rose 0.4% in December, as expected by analysts, and were up 0.4% excluding motor vehicle sales.

The consumer price index rose by 0.1% in December, as expected, while core CPI posted a stronger-than-expected 0.3% rise.

The federal government ran a $23.2 billion deficit in December, the Treasury Department reported Thursday.

Initial jobless claims rose by 11,000 to 261,000 in the Jan. 6 week, well ahead of the 245,000 level expected and above the recent trend.

Final demand PPI fell by 0.1% in December, well below the 0.2% gain expected, with an equally disappointing 0.1% decline outside of food and energy prices.

The annual revisions to the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia’s Manufacturing Business Outlook Survey changed numbers for most months, but the pattern remained the same, the Bank said Thursday.

The value of wholesale inventories rose 0.8% in November.

U.S. import prices returned to a more normal pace in December.

U.S. job openings unexpectedly fell in November to a six-month low, though the level is still consistent with an improving labor market, Labor Department data showed Tuesday.

Consumer credit increased by $28.8 billion in November to $3.827 trillion, the Federal Reserve reported Thursday.

The Treasury Department auctioned $42 billion of 26-week bills at a high yield of 1.575% on Monday.

The Treasury Department auctioned $48 billion of 13-week bills at a high yield of 1.430% on Monday.

The Treasury Department said Monday it will sell $50 billion of four-week discount bills on Tuesday.

The Employment Trends Index increased 0.74 percentage points in December to 107.10 from a revised 106.36 in November, The Conference Board reported on Monday.

Newly issued Treasury securities held in stripped form increased about $1.518 billion in December to a total of $262.102 billion, the Bureau of the Public Debt reported Friday.

The value of new factory orders rose by 1.3% in November, slightly larger than the expected 1.1% increase in an MNI survey.

The U.S. services sector expanded in December as the non-manufacturing business activity composite index was 55.9.

The November trade deficit widened to $50.5 billion from a revised $48.9 billion deficit in October.

U.S. job gains slowed by more than forecast in December, wage gains picked up slightly and the unemployment rate held at the lowest level since 2000, adding to signs of a full-employment economy.

Initial jobless claims rose to 250,000 in the week ended Dec. 30, the Labor Department said Thursday.