Economic indicators

The U.S. current account deficit widened to $124.8 billion in the third quarter from a revised $101.2 billion gap in the previous quarter.

November housing starts rose by 3.2% to a 1.256 million annual rate, according to data released Tuesday by the Commerce Department.

New York service sector activity “expanded slightly” in December, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York's Business Leaders Survey.

Builders’ confidence in the market for new single-family homes fell in December as affordability issues remain.

Business activity “continued to expand, though growth was noticeably slower than in recent months,” the December Empire State Manufacturing Survey suggested.

The value of business inventories in October was up 0.6% from September.

Total industrial production, which also includes mines and utilities, increased 0.6% after a 0.2% drop in October.

November retail sales were up 0.2% in the month, slightly above analysts’ projections for a 0.1% gain.

Jobless claims dropped to 206,000 in the week ended Dec. 8.

Overall CPI in November posted a flat reading as expected by analysts, but below the 0.3% gain expected by market participants.