Economic indicators

Manufacturing growth in the central Atlantic region was “robust” in November, according to the monthly business activity survey conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, as the manufacturing index soared to 30 from 12.

Texas factory activity, as measured by the production index, “continued to expand in November.”

The pace of new single-family home sales increased by 6.2%, to the highest level since October 2007.

The University of Michigan's final November consumer sentiment index reading was 98.5, compared to the preliminary November 97.8 and the final October 100.7, according to market sources.

The value of U.S. durable goods new orders fell 1.2% in October, well below expectations for a 0.5% increase.

Initial claims U.S. state unemployment benefits fell by 13,000 to 239,000 in the November 18 employment survey week.

Existing home sales grew 2.0% to a seasonally adjusted 5.48 million-unit rate in October from a revised 5.37 million sales pace the previous month.

The region's non-manufacturing sector “continued to expand, but with a slowing in the pace of growth.”

The Chicago Fed National Activity Index for October increased to 0.65 from 0.36 in September, while the three-month moving average (CFNAI-MA3) rose to 0.28 from 0.01, the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago reported Tuesday.

The composite of the Leading Economic Index was up 1.2% in October.

Manufacturing activity in the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City's region "slowed slightly but remained solid, and optimism for future activity remained high."

The pace of housing starts rebounded by 13.7% to a 1.290 million seasonally adjusted annual rate in October, well ahead of expectations for a 1.190 million pace.

Builders’ confidence in the market for new single-family homes increased.

Industrial production grew 0.9% in October, the Federal Reserve reported Thursday.

The region's manufacturing sector expanded in November, at a slower pace than in October.

U.S. import prices rose by 0.2% in October on a 1.4% gain in fuel prices as well as combined 0.2% gain in the other components, according to data released by the BLS.

Initial claims U.S. state unemployment benefits rose by 10,000 to 249,000 in the November 11 week, well ahead of the 235,000 level expected.

The New York region's service sector activity "expanded at a robust pace," according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York's November Business Leaders Survey, released Thursday.

Business inventories were unchanged at $1.889 trillion in April, while sales were 1.4% higher at $1.390 trillion, the Commerce Department reported Wednesday.

The value of retail sales rose 0.2% in October and were up 0.1% excluding motor vehicle sales.