Index of Leading Economic Indicators Unchanged in February

he index of leading U.S. economic indicators was unchanged in February, as consumer confidence declined and the number of people seeking jobless benefits increased, the Conference Board said Thursday.

The LEI is closely watched by trucking companies because it forecasts business activity for the next three to six months.

February marked the first time LEI did not rise since March 2003. In January, the index rose 0.4%.

The index of coincident indicators, a gauge of current economic activity, rose 0.3% in February after falling 0.1% the month before. The index tracks payrolls, incomes, sales and production.

he index of lagging indicators was unchanged after rising 0.1%. This tracks duration of unemployment, inventories-to-sales ratio, unit labor costs in manufacturing, the prime interest rate, commercial and industrial loans, the consumer price index for services and the ratio of consumer credit to income.

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