Economic indicators

The pace of new single-family home sales rose by only 0.8% to a slightly weaker-than-expected 610,000 seasonally adjusted annual rate in June, following downward revisions to the sales pace in the previous three months, data released by the Commerce Department Wednesday showed.

The Treasury Department Tuesday auctioned $26 billion of two-year notes with a 1 3/8% coupon at a 1.395% yield, a price of 99.960688.

The Treasury Department Tuesday auctioned $45 billion of four-week bills at a 0.980% high yield, a price of 99.923778.

A four-month high in U.S. consumer confidence reflects Americans’ sunnier views on both their current situation and outlook, a positive sign for the economy, data from the New York-based Conference Board showed Tuesday.

Tender rates for the Treasury Department's latest 91-day and 182-day discount bills were higher, as the three-months incurred a 1.180% high rate, up from 1.050% the prior week, and the six-months incurred a 1.130% high rate, up from 1.105% the week before.

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

Home resales fell by 1.8% in June to an annual rate of 5.52 million, below expectations for a smaller decrease to a 5.57 million, data released by the National Association of Realtors Monday showed.

The composite of the Leading Economic Index was up 0.6% in June following a revised 0.2% increase in May, first reported as a 0.3% gain, the Conference Board reported Thursday.

Initial claims for U.S. state unemployment benefits fell by 15,000 to 233,000 in the July 15 employment survey week, following a small upward revision to the claims level in the previous week, data released by the Labor Department Thursday showed.

The region's manufacturing sector expanded in July, but at a slower pace than in June, as the general business conditions index decreased to 19.5 from 27.6 in June, this month's Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia Report on Business indicates.

The pace of housing starts rose by 8.3% to a 1.215 million seasonally adjusted annual rate in June, well above expectations for a rebound to a 1.150 million pace, data reported by the Commerce Department Wednesday morning showed.

Builders’ confidence in the market for new single-family homes slipped as the National Association of Home Builders' housing market index fell to 64 in July from a downwardly revised 66 in June.

U.S. import prices fell by 0.2% in June on a significant drop in fuel prices and industrial supplies and materials, according to data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics Tuesday.

The New York region's service sector activity" showed little change," according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York's July Business Leaders Survey, released Tuesday.

The Empire State Manufacturing Survey showed "business activity grew modestly in New York State," the Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported Monday.

The value of business inventories rose 0.3% in May, while business sales were down 0.2%, a Commerce Department report Friday showed.

The University of Michigan's preliminary July consumer sentiment index reading was 93.1, compared to the final June 95.1, and the preliminary June 94.5, according to market sources.

Industrial production was up 0.4% in June, the Federal Reserve reported Friday.

Retail sales undershot again in June, in the minus column with a 0.2% decline.

The consumer price index Consumer Price Index came in flat, as expected, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday.