Leading Economic Indicators - Up Slightly for January 2007

The Conference Board announced today that the U.S. leading index increased 0.1 percent, the coincident index increased 0.1 percent and the lagging index decreased 0.1 percent in January 2007.  Click Here to Read the Full Conference Board Press Release.

The leading index is still slightly below its most recent high in January 2006 and it has been flat to declining in seven of the last twelve months, but its six-month growth rate has picked up in the last two months. At the same time, real GDP growth picked up to a 3.5 percent annual rate in the fourth quarter of 2006 according to advance estimates, following a 2.0 percent rate in the third quarter of 2006. The recent behavior of the leading index still suggests that slow to moderate economic growth is likely to continue in the near term.  This is further support for the projection that the Fed will leave rates unchanged at the March 20-21 FOMC meeting.

The next release of Leading Economic Indicators for February 2007 will be released on March 22nd, the day after the Fed adjourns the March FOMC meeting.

The Conference Board is the world's preeminent business membership and research organization. Best known for the Consumer Confidence Index and the Leading Economic Indicators, The Conference Board has, for almost 90 years, equipped the world's leading corporations with practical knowledge through issues-oriented research and senior executive peer-to-peer meetings.