Leading Economic Indicators Improve

An index of leading economic indicators improved slightly in February, marking the 11th straight increase, the New York-based Conference Board said Thursday.

The LEI’s 0.1% uptick was the smallest in almost a year, the group said. The 11-month series of gains marks the longest string since 2003-2004.

The upturn matched economists’ forecasts, Bloomberg reported.

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