The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI) for the U.S. Declined Slightly
The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI)for theU.S. declined 0.1 percent in October to 111.7 (2016 = 100), following a 0.2 percent decline in both September and August.
“The US LEI declined for a third consecutive month, and its six-month growth rate turned negative for the first time since May 2016. The decline was driven by weaknesses in new orders for manufacturing, average weekly hours, and unemployment insurance claims,” said Ataman Ozyildirim, Senior Director of Economic Research at The Conference Board. “The major difference this month is the softening in the labor market, whereas conditions in manufacturing remain weak and show no signs of improvement yet. Taken together, the LEI suggests that the economy will end the year on a weak note, at just below 2 percent growth.”
The Conference Board Coincident Economic Index® (CEI) for the U.S. was unchanged in October, remaining at 106.5 (2016 = 100), following a 0.1 percent increase in September, and a 0.3 percent increase in August.
The Conference Board Lagging Economic Index® (LAG) for the U.S. increased 0.1 percent in October to 108.1 (2016 = 100), following a 0.1 percent increase in September, and a 0.6 percent decline in August.
About The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI) for the U.S.
The composite economic indexes are the key elements in an analytic system designed to signal peaks and troughs in the business cycle. The leading, coincident, and lagging economic indexes are essentially composite averages of several individual leading, coincident, or lagging indicators. They are constructed to summarize and reveal common turning point patterns in economic data in a clearer and more convincing manner than any individual component – primarily because they smooth out some of the volatility of individual components.
The ten components of The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® for the U.S. include:
Average weekly hours, manufacturing
Average weekly initial claims for unemployment insurance
Manufacturers’ new orders, consumer goods and materials
ISM® Index of New Orders
Manufacturers’ new orders, nondefense capital goods excluding aircraft orders
Building permits, new private housing units
Stock prices, 500 common stocks
Leading Credit Index™
Interest rate spread, 10-year Treasury bonds less federal funds
Average consumer expectations for business conditions
For full press release and technical notes:
http://www.conference-board.org/data/bcicountry.cfm?cid=1
For more information about The Conference Board global business cycle indicators:
http://www.conference-board.org/data/bci.cfm
About The Conference Board
The Conference Board is the member-driven think tank that delivers trusted insights for what’s ahead. Founded in 1916, we are a non-partisan, not-for-profit entity holding 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt status in the United States. www.conference-board.org.
The next release is scheduled for Thursday, December 19 at 10 A.M. ET.
For further information contact:
Carol Courter
1 212 339 0232
CCourter@tcb.org
Joseph DiBlasi
781.308.7935
JDiBlasi@tcb.org
With graph and summary table
November 21, 2019
PRESS RELEASE
US Leading Economic Index® Inched Down Further in August
September 19, 2024
PRESS RELEASE
US Leading Economic Index® (LEI) Declined in July
August 19, 2024
PRESS RELEASE
US Leading Economic Index® (LEI) Fell Slightly in June
July 18, 2024
PRESS RELEASE
US Leading Economic Index® (LEI) Fell Again in May
June 21, 2024
PRESS RELEASE
US Leading Economic Index® (LEI) Continued to Fall in April
May 17, 2024
PRESS RELEASE
US Leading Economic Index® (LEI) Fell in March
April 18, 2024
All release times displayed are Eastern Time
Charts
The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI) for the US rose sharply in August and remains on a rapidly rising trajectory. The strengths among the leading indic…
LEARN MORECharts
The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI) for the United States continued to improve in August, but a recession signal derived from the index has continued t…
LEARN MORECharts
The Conference Board Leading Economic Index®(LEI) for the US dropped 4.4 percent in April, following a decline of 7.4 percent in March.
LEARN MORETechnical Notes for the US LEI
September 19, 2024 | Guide & Reference
August US leading index points to continued economic growth
September 23, 2021 | Chart
US LEI improving, but recession signal remains
September 24, 2020 | Chart
LEI points to a deep recession with no sign of fast rebound
May 21, 2020 | Chart
The Evolving Economic Outlook for Europe
July 10, 2024 11:00 AM ET (New York)
What Are The Conference Board LEIs Telling Us About the Future?
April 10, 2024 11:00 AM ET (New York)
Inflation, Labor Markets, and the Fed
May 11, 2022 11:00 AM ET (New York)