Latest Conference Board Stories

Kathy Bostjancic, Director for Macroeconomic Analysis, The Conference Board NEW YORK, April 26, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The following is a comment on Q1 GDP from Kathy Bostjancic, Director for Macroeconomic Analysis, The Conference Board: The pace of economic growth in the U.S. grew 2.5% in Q1, propelled by acceleration in personal consumer expenditures and a buildup in inventories. However, the disappointingly weak March employment and retail sales reports support our view that the...

NEW YORK, April 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI) for Mexico increased 0.8 percent in February to 127.1 (2004 = 100), following a 2.0 percent increase in January, and a 0.2 percent increase in December. At the same time, The Conference Board Coincident Economic Index® (CEI) for Mexico, a measure of current economic activity, was unchanged in February, remaining at 122.8 (2004 = 100), following a 0.1 percent increase in January, and a 0.3...

NEW YORK, April 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Conference Board Measure of CEO Confidence(TM), which had increased in the fourth quarter of 2012, improved again in the first quarter of 2013. The Measure now reads 54, up from 46 in the previous quarter (a reading of more than 50 points reflects more positive than negative responses).  Says Lynn Franco, Director of Economic Indicators at The Conference Board: "CEO Confidence improved again, but still remains rather weak. However,...

BRUSSELS, April 24, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI) for Germany increased 0.3 percent in February to 103.7 (2004 = 100), following a 0.4 percent increase in January, and a 0.5 percent increase in December. At the same time, The Conference Board Coincident Economic Index® (CEI) for Germany, a measure of current economic activity, increased 0.1 percent in February to 107.1 (2004 = 100), following a 0.3 percent increase in January, and a 0.2...

NEW YORK, April 22, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI) for Australia increased 0.3 percent in February to 122.2 (2004 = 100), following a 0.1 percent increase in January, and a 0.2 percent decline in December. At the same time, The Conference Board Coincident Economic Index® (CEI) for Australia, a measure of current economic activity, increased 0.5 percent in February to 122.1 (2004 = 100), following a 0.1 percent increase in January, and a 0.1...

BRUSSELS, April 22, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI) for France increased 0.6 percent in February to 114.5 (2004 = 100), following a 0.4 percent increase in January, and a 0.3 percent decrease in December. At the same time, The Conference Board Coincident Economic Index® (CEI) for France, a measure of current economic activity, was unchanged in February at 103.9 (2004 = 100), following a 0.2 percent decrease in January, and a 0.2 percent...

NEW YORK, April 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI) for the U.S. declined 0.1 percent in March to 94.7 (2004 = 100), following a 0.5 percent increase in February, and a 0.5 percent increase in January. Says Ataman Ozyildirim, economist at The Conference Board: "After three consecutive gains, the U.S. LEI dipped slightly in March, with equally balanced strengths and weaknesses among its components. The leading indicator still points to a...

NEW YORK, April 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Conference Board today announced that Matteo Tonello, managing director of corporate leadership, joined the Advisory Council of the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), a non-profit organization developing sustainability measurement and reporting standards for publicly-held companies in the United States. The invitation to join SASB's advisory body recognizes The Conference Board's commitment to promote transparency and...

NEW YORK, April 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI) for Spain decreased 0.3 percent in February to 104.8 (2004 = 100), following a 0.6 percent increase in January, and a 0.9 percent increase in December. At the same time, The Conference Board Coincident Economic Index® (CEI) for Spain, a measure of current economic activity, declined 0.3 percent in February to 93.9 (2004 = 100), following a 0.2 percent decline in January, and a 0.6 percent...

NEW YORK, April 16, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI) for Korea increased 0.2 percent in February to 121.4 (2004 = 100), following a 0.1 percent decline in January, and a 0.2 percent decline in December. At the same time, The Conference Board Coincident Economic Index® (CEI) for Korea, a measure of current economic activity, increased 0.1 percent in February to 117.1 (2004 = 100), following a 0.1 percent decline in January and a 0.2 percent...