Leading Economic Indicators Rise in March

An index of leading economic indicators rose 0.1% last month, the first increase in six months, the New York-based Conference Board said Thursday.

The increase followed a 0.3% downturn in February that had been the fifth straight downturn, the group said.

The uptick 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.