MW: U.S. leading indicators climb 0.2% in September
By Jeffry Bartash
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - Leading economic indicators for the U.S. rose 0.2% in September, the nonprofit Conference Board said Thursday. The increase in the index, which rose 0.3% in August, matched the forecast of economists surveyed by MarketWatch. Although the index has risen five straight months, the board also said the data shows weakening growth, with only five of the 10 indicators posting an increase. "The slow pace of LEI suggests a growing chance that this sluggish economy is going to be here for a while," said board economist Ataman Ozyildirim. The coincident index, which measures current conditions, rose 0.1% in September, while the lagging index climbed 0.2%.
