MW: Economic growth slowed in April, Chicago Fed national activity index shows
By Steve Goldstein
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- Economic growth moderated in April, according to the Chicago Fed national activity index released Thursday. The index fell to negative 0.32 in April from positive 0.34 in March. However, the three-month average rose to 0.19 from 0.04 in March -- the highest level since November 2013. The index is a weighted average of 85 different economic indicators, designed so that a reading of zero is equivalent to trend growth. When the three-month average exceeds 0.7, there's an increasing likelihood of sustained increasing inflation, and when it's below negative 0.7, there's an increasing likelihood a recession has begun.
