WASHINGTON (AFP) US leading economic indicators rose 1.1
percent in December, suggesting that the recovery from recession is
gathering steam, the Conference Board said Thursday.
The business research firm said that the forward-looking index increased
1.1 percent in December, following a 1.0 percent gain in November, and
posting a ninth consecutive gain.
"The indicators point to an economy in early recovery," said Ken
Goldstein, economist at the Conference Board, who added that the survey
"suggests that the pace of improvement could pick up this spring."
The survey also found the coincident index of current economic
conditions rose for the first time in the last six months, as strong
industrial production offset weakness in employment in December.
The coincident index rose 0.1 percent in December, matching the rise of
the previous two months.
The lagging index declined 0.2 percent in December, following a 0.5
percent decline in November, and a 0.2 percent decline in October --
more signs of a struggling economy in late 2009.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100121/pl_afp/useconomyindex
