Leading Indicators in U.S. Increase 0.2% for Second Month
Source: Bloomberg
by Bloomberg News
10:00 AM EDT March 19, 2015
(Bloomberg) -- The index of U.S. leading economic indicators increased in February, reflecting higher stock prices and a gain in building permits.
The Conference Board’s index, a measure of the outlook for the next three to six months, climbed 0.2 percent for a second month, the New York-based group said Thursday. The gauge, which matched the median forecast of economists surveyed by Bloomberg, compares with a 0.5 percent increase on average in the last six months of 2014.
Smaller gains in the LEI so far this year underscore the view of Federal Reserve policy makers that the economy “has moderated somewhat.” A work slowdown at West Coast ports and weaker export demand, compounded by a stronger dollar, has tempered orders to American factories.
“Widespread gains among the leading indicators continue to point to short-term growth,” Ataman Ozyildirim, an economist at the Conference Board said in a statement. “But weakness in the industrial sector and business investment is holding economic growth back, despite improvements in labor markets and consumer confidence.”
Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-03-19/index-of-u-s-leading-economic-indicators-rose-0-2-in-february
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