Conference Board News Release (12/20/12)

The Conference Board Leading Economic Index (LEI) for the U.S. declined 0.2% in November to 95.8, following a 0.3% increase in October, and a 0.4% increase in September. “The U.S. LEI decreased slightly in November, bringing its six-month growth rate to zero,” says Ataman Ozyildirim, economist at the Conference Board. “The LEI points to increasing risks of slowing economic activity in the near term, but the coincident economic index, measuring current conditions, continued to increase in November. Gains in the residential construction and financial components of the LEI have been roughly balanced with weak consumer expectations, manufacturing new orders, and labor market indicators over the last six months.”