Conference Board News Release (05/22/14)

The Conference Board Leading Economic Index for the U.S. increased 0.4% in April to 101.4, following a 1.0 percent increase in March and a 0.5% increase in February. “The LEI rose for the third consecutive month, driven largely by improving housing and financial market conditions,” says Ataman Ozyildirim, economist at the Conference Board. “This latest report suggests the economy will continue to expand, and may even pick up steam through the second half of the year.”

“Despite a brutal winter which brought the economy to a halt, the overall trend in the leading economic index has remained positive,” says Ken Goldstein, economist at the Conference Board. “If consumers continue to spend, and businesses pick up the pace of investment, the industrial core of the economy will benefit and [gross domestic product] growth could move closer towards the 3.0% range.”