Leading Indicators Rise for Fifth Straight Month

New York, NY, Sept. 21, 2009--The Conference Board Leading Economic Index for the U.S. increased 0.6 percent in August, following a 0.9 percent gain in July, and an 0.8 percent rise in June.

"Since reaching a peak in July 2007, the LEI fell for 20 months – the longest downtrend since the mid 1970s – but it has been rising since April and its gains have become very widespread," says Ataman Ozyildirim, economist at The Conference Board.

"The six-month growth rate of the LEI continues to accelerate.  At the same time, the downtrend in the coincident economic index, measuring current economic activity, seems to be stabilizing, with the index flat so far this quarter."

Says Ken Goldstein, economist at The Conference Board: "The LEI has risen for five consecutive months and the coincident economic index has stopped falling. Taken together, this suggests that the recession is bottoming out. These numbers are consistent with the view that after a very severe downturn, a recovery is very near. But, the intensity and pattern of that recovery is more uncertain."