Leading economic indicators jump 1.4 pct, topping estimates
4/19/2010NEW YORK — A gauge of future economic activity jumped 1.4 percent in March, the fastest pace of growth in 10 months.
The rise in the Conference Board's index of leading economic indictors suggests economic growth is likely to continue for the next three to six months.
Economists polled by Thomson Reuters had expected the index to grow 0.9 percent last month.
The report says the leading indicators' growth was 0.4 percent in February and 0.6 percent in January, up from previous estimates of 0.1 percent and 0.3 percent.
Seven of the 10 indicators increased in March.
"The indicators point to a slow recovery that should continue over the next few months," Ken Goldstein, an economist at the Conference Board, said.