Press Release: The Conference Board Leading Economic Index(R) (LEI) for the U.S. Increased in October

The Conference Board Leading Economic Index(R) (LEI) for the U.S. Increased in October

Solid Growth to Continue into 2018

PR Newswire

NEW YORK, Nov. 20, 2017

NEW YORK, Nov. 20, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Conference Board Leading Economic Index(R) (LEI) for the U.S. increased 1.2 percent in October to 130.4 (2010 = 100), following a 0.1 percent increase in September, and a 0.4 percent increase in August.

"The US LEI increased sharply in October, as the impact of the hurricanes dissipated," said Ataman Ozyildirim, Director of Business Cycles and Growth Research at The Conference Board. "The growth of the LEI, coupled with widespread strengths among its components, suggests that solid growth in the US economy will continue through the holiday season and into the new year."

The Conference Board Coincident Economic Index(R) (CEI) for the U.S. increased 0.3 percent in October to 116.2 (2010 = 100), following a 0.1 percent increase in September, and no change in August.

The Conference Board Lagging Economic Index(R) (LAG) for the U.S. increased 0.2 percent in October to 125.5 (2010 = 100), following no change in September, and a 0.2 percent increase in August.

About The Conference Board Leading Economic Index(R) (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(R) for the U.S. include:

Average weekly hours, manufacturing

Average weekly initial claims for unemployment insurance

Manufacturers' new orders, consumer goods and materials

ISM(R) 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(TM)

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 a global, independent business membership and research association working in the public interest. Our mission is unique: To provide the world's leading organizations with the practical knowledge they need to improve their performance and better serve society. Winner of the Consensus Economics 2016 Forecast Accuracy Award (U.S.), The Conference Board is a non-advocacy, not-for-profit entity holding 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt status in the United States. www.conference-board.org

Summary Table of Composite Economic Indexes

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2017 6-month

Aug Sep Oct Apr to Oct

Leading Index 128.8 128.9 r130.4 p

Percent Change 0.4 0.1 r1.2 p2.9

Diffusion 85.0 60.0 90.0 90.0

Coincident Index 115.7 r115.8 r116.2 p

Percent Change 0.0 0.1 0.3 p1.0

Diffusion 50.0 87.5 100.0 100.0

Lagging Index 125.2 r125.2 125.5 p

Percent Change 0.2 r0.0 r0.2 p1.0

Diffusion 71.4 57.1 64.3 71.4

p Preliminary r Revised

Indexes equal 100 in 2010

Source: The Conference Board

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SOURCE The Conference Board

/CONTACT: Carol Courter, 212-339-0232 / courter@conference-board.org, Joseph DiBlasi, 781-308-7935 / joseph.diblasi@conference-board.org

/Web site: http://www.conference-board.org

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

November 20, 2017 10:15 ET (15:15 GMT)