NEW YORK–The Conference Board’s Leading Economic Index for the United States rose 0.7 percent to 100.9 in June, the third month of gains in a row for this indicator.
The June pickup followed a 1.3 percent rise in the index in May and a 1 percent gain in April. Over the past six months, the index, a composite of several economic indices, has risen 4.1 percent on an annual basis.
“The recession has been losing steam since the spring, although very large job losses continue,” said Ken Goldstein, economist with The Conference Board. “Nevertheless, confidence is slowly rebuilding. Financial markets are less volatile. Even the housing market is stabilizing. If these trends continue, expect a slow recovery this autumn.”