An "intense recession" is likely through the spring, the Conference Board said Monday. The index of leading economic indicators rose 0.3% in December, mainly due to the "continued and very large" contribution from the real money supply, while weakness in building permits and elsewhere persisted, according to the Conference Board. "Expect declines in output and employment over the next several quarters, with unemployment possibly rising to 9%," said Ken Goldstein, economist at the Conference Board. In November, the index fell 0.4%
