Economic indicators

The pace of housing starts posted a surprise 3.3% gain to a 1.297 million seasonally adjusted annual rate in November, well ahead of expectations for a 1.250 million pace.

Builders’ confidence in the market for new single-family homes increased as the National Association of Home Builders' housing market index climbed to 74 in December.

The New York region's service sector activity "continued to grow at a healthy pace," according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York's December Business Leaders Survey.

Industrial production grew 0.2% in November, the Federal Reserve reported Friday.

The Empire State Manufacturing Survey showed "business activity continued to grow at a solid clip in New York State."

The Treasury Department said Thursday it will auction $45 billion 91-day bills and $39 billion 182-day discount bills Monday.

U.S. import prices rose 0.7% in November after rising 0.1% in October, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Thursday.

Initial claims U.S. state unemployment benefits fell 11,000 to 225,000 in the Dec. 9 week from 236,000 in the prior week, data released by the Labor Department Thursday showed.

November retail sales rose 0.8% versus the 0.3% gain expected, the Commerce Department reported Thursday.

The consumer price index rose by 0.4% in November, as expected, while core CPI posted a softer-than-expected 0.1% rise.

The Treasury Department on Tuesday auctioned $12 billion of re-opened 30-year bonds with a 2 3/4% coupon at a 2.804% high yield, a price of 98.908728.

The Treasury Department Tuesday auctioned $45 billion of four-week bills at a 1.240% high yield, a price of 99.903556.

The Small Business Optimism Index rose 3.7 points to 107.5 in November, the National Federation of Independent Business reported on Tuesday.

The producer price index rose 0.4% in November after gaining 0.4% in October, the Labor Department reported on Tuesday.

The Treasury Department auctioned $44 billion of 13-week bills at a high yield of 1.320% on Monday.

The Treasury Department auctioned $20 billion of re-opened 10-year notes with a 2 1/4% coupon at a 2.384% high yield, a price of 99.820844.

The Treasury Department Tuesday auctioned $24 billion of three-year notes with a 1 7/8% coupon at a 1.932% high yield, a price of 99. 834636.

The Treasury Department auctioned $39 billion of 26-week bills at a high yield of 1.460% on Monday.

The Treasury Department said Monday it will sell $45 billion of four-week discount bills on Tuesday.

U.S. job openings unexpectedly cooled in October from a record a month earlier, consistent with a steady job market, Labor Department data showed Monday.