Leading Economic Indicators Improve 0.8%

An index of leading economic indicators rose 0.8% in February, the eighth straight monthly increase, the New York-based Conference Board said.

The gain followed January’s 0.1% gain, but was just short of economists’ forecasts of a 0.9% rise, Bloomberg reported.

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