Leading Economic Indicators Decline in July

August 17, 2006 11:00 AM, EDT

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n index of U.S. leading economic indicators dropped 0.1% in July, the Conference Board reported Thursday.

The index’s slip followed June’s 0.1% uptick. Economists expected the index to rise 0.1%, Bloomberg reported.

The LEI index, which measures the likely performance of the U.S. economy over the next three to six months, is closely watched by trucking companies because it forecasts business activity for the next three to six months.