Economic indicators

Texas factory activity growth, as measured by the production index, “continued to expand in March,” but at a slower pace than in February.

The Chicago Fed National Activity Index for February fell to negative 0.29 from an upwardly revised negative 0.25 in January.

January wholesale inventories increased by 1.2%, vs. a 0.1% rise expected.

The pace of existing home sales jumped by 11.8% to a 5.51 million annual rate in February, well above the 5.10 million rate expected.

The composite of the Leading Economic Index was up 0.2% in February following a revised unchanged level in January, the Conference Board said Thursday.

The level of initial claims fell by 9,000 to 221,000 in the March 16 week, below expectations for a 225,000 reading.

Manufacturers report activity “improved” in March.

The value of new factory orders rose 0.1% in January, below the 0.3% increase expected by analysts.

Builders’ confidence in the market for new single-family homes was steady but affordability issues still vex the market.

New York service sector activity “grew modestly” in March, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York's Business Leaders Survey, released Monday.

U.S. consumer sentiment rose more than expected as optimism picked up for incomes and the economy, suggesting support for growth in coming months.

U.S. factory production slumped for a second month in February, missing forecasts for a pickup, indicating headwinds from the trade war to slower global growth are weighing on manufacturers.

Business activity “grew only slightly in New York State,” according to the March Empire State Manufacturing Survey.

Sales of new U.S. homes in January fell to the weakest pace since October, driven by a decline in the Midwest as still-elevated prices keep buyers on the sidelines.

Import prices rose 0.6% in February, the largest rise since May, compared with expectations for a 0.4% gain.

Filings for U.S. unemployment benefits rose to a four-week high and exceeded estimates, a sign the labor market may be softening somewhat even as it remains strong overall.

Construction spending was up 1.3% in January.

Orders placed with U.S. factories for business equipment rebounded in January.

The February PPI data were below expectations, lowering the year-over-year rates slightly

Optimism among small companies in the U.S. improved in February, snapping a five-month losing streak that was the longest in two decades on brighter views of future conditions.