The Conference Board announced on Friday its Leading Economic Index
(LEI) for the U.S. declined 0.3 percent m-o-m in January 2022 to 119.6 (2016 =
100), following a downwardly revised 0.7 percent m-o-m advance (from 0.8 percent
m-o-m) in December 2021.
Economists had forecast an increase of 0.2 percent m-o-m.
Commenting on the latest reading, Ataman Ozyildirim, Senior Director of
Economic Research at The Conference Board, said that despite the fact the LEI dropped
last month the leading indicators remained broadly strong, pointing to
continued, albeit slower, economic expansion into the spring. He noted,
however, that inflation, labor shortages, and the potential of new coronavirus
strains pose risks to growth in the near-term perspective. Nonetheless, the Conference
Board continues to see the U.S. economy to expand by 3.5 percent this year.
The report also revealed the Conference Board Coincident Economic Index
(CEI) for the U.S. rose 0.5 percent m-o-m in January to 107.9, after gaining
0.2 percent m-o-m in the previous month. In addition, its Lagging Economic
Index (LAG) for the U.S. climbed 0.7 percent m-o-m to 110.2, following a 0.4
percent m-o-m rise in December.