AP - The nation's manufacturing sector expanded in December to the market's surprise, reversing a contraction a month earlier.

AP - Orders to U.S. factories posted a smaller-than-expected increase in November as demand for autos, machinery and steel all posted declines, reflecting the slowdown that has hit the manufacturing sector.

AP - Consumer borrowing rebounded sharply in November, rising at the fastest clip since August.

Reuters - The U.S. trade deficit narrowed unexpectedly in November to the smallest gap since July 2005, as a weak dollar and strong economic growth abroad helped push exports to a record, a Commerce Department report on Wednesday showed.

AP - Consumers snapped up flat screen televisions and the latest electronic gadgets at a frenzied pace in December, helping retailers close out 2006 with better-than-expected sales.

AFP - Economists are hastily upgrading their forecasts for the US economy after a series of surprisingly strong reports suggesting the so-called "soft landing" may be over and growth is accelerating.

FT.com - Policymakers and bond market investors alike appear more confident about the resilience of the broad US economy in 2007, with its still-thriving service sector, strong jobs market and improving exports.

AP - Interest rates on short-term Treasury bills rose in Tuesday's auction with three-month bills climbing to the highest level since October.

AFP - The US economy has been expanding at a "modest" pace even as labor markets are getting tighter, the Federal Reserve said in its Beige Book report.

Reuters - U.S. consumer prices jumped at the sharpest rate in eight months during December , climbing 0.5 percent as prices for energy products shot up after three straight months of declines, the Labor Department said on Thursday.

AFP - Top Federal Reserve official Jeffrey Lacker has said he sees the US economy expanding by 2.50-2.75 percent this year, while inflation remains the "predominant" risk.

AFP - A booming US economy has led to an explosion in the ranks of the wealthy unseen in a century, creating a surging market for luxury goods as well as a new era of philanthropy, researchers say.

Reuters - U.S. demand for goods and services has increased for the first time in a year, according to a National Association of Business economists survey released Monday.

Reuters - A key forecasting gauge for the U.S. economy rose by a larger-than-expected 0.3 percent in December, the private Conference Board research firm said on Tuesday, suggesting moderate growth in the months ahead.

AP - China reported Thursday that its sizzling economy grew at its fastest rate in a decade last year as the government struggled to contain the strains of an export-driven boom.

Reuters - New orders for U.S.-made durable goods rose a larger-than-expected 3.1 percent in December as demand for aircraft and parts soared and most other sectors showed surprising strength, a government report showed on Friday.

AFP - After a surprising show of strength in the US economy, the Federal Reserve is likely to keep interest rates steady at its upcoming monetary policy meeting to see if the trend continues, analysts say.

AP - Interest rates on short-term Treasury bills rose in Monday's auction, with the three-month bill climbing to the highest level in six years.

AFP - The dollar edged lower against the other main currencies as traders braced for the outcome of a monetary policy meeting of the Federal Reserve and a key report on the US economy.

AP - Employers' costs to hire and retain workers moderated in the final quarter of 2006, which could ease concerns about the development of inflation pressures.