Leading Indicators Up Seventh Straight Month

New York, NY, Nov. 19, 2009--The index of leading economic indicators rose for the seventh consecutive month in October, the private Conference Board said Thursday.

The leading indicators rose 0.3% in October after a 1% gain in September, the private research group said. Six of the 10 indicators were positive.

Economists expected the leading index to rise 0.4%.

The index is up at a 10.2% annual pace in the last six months.

"The recovery is unfolding and economic activity should continue improving in the near term," the report said.

In October, six of the 10 leading indicators improved: the interest-rate spread, stock prices, jobless claims, average hours worked in manufacturing, the real money supply, and new orders for consumer goods. Four indicators were negative: Building permits, consumer expectations, delivery times, and capital equipment orders.