Leading Indicators Fall Slightly in April

New York, NY, May 19, 2011--The Conference Board said that its index of leading economic indicators dropped 0.3% in April to 114.0.

In March, the indicators increased by 0.7%.

Previously, the index has increased for nine consecutive months.

“The U.S. LEI has been rising since March 2009, with only a brief one-month interruption in June 2010, and now, in April 2011. The U.S. CEI, a monthly measure of current economic conditions, continued to increase, supported by improving employment figures. Overall, the composite indexes still point to strengthening business conditions in the near term, although the path may be uneven," said Ataman Ozyildirim, economist at The Conference Board.