U.S. Leading Economic Indicators Rise In January But At Slower Pace

Leading U.S. economic indicators edged up 0.2% in January but the index pointed to some moderation in growth, according to the Conference Board. "While the LEI suggests a positive short-term outlook in 2015, the lack of strong momentum in residential construction, along with a weak outlook for new orders in manufacturing, poses a downside risk for the U.S. economy," said Ataman Ozyildirim, economist at the nonprofit organization that produces the report. The coincident index, which measures current conditions, rose 0.2% in January. The lagging index increased 0.3%. The LEI is a weighted gauge of 10 indicators designed to signal business-cycle peaks and valleys.