Financial News: U.S. Leading Economic Index Edges Higher For Second

U.S. Leading Economic Index Edges Higher For Second Straight Month In May

06/18/2026 - 10:21:00 (RTTNews)

(RTTNews) - A report released by the Conference Board on Thursday showed its reading on leading U.S. economic indicators edged higher for the second straight month in May.

The Conference Board said its leading economic index inched up by 0.1 percent in May after rising by 0.2 percent in April. The uptick matched economist estimates.

"The Leading Index for the US increased slightly in May, fueled entirely by positive contributions from financial components, especially stock prices and the interest rate spread," said Justyna Zabinska-La Monica, Senior Manager, Business Cycle Indicators, at The Conference Board.

She added, "On the non-financial side of the LEI, only ISM New Orders Index showed some strength, with consumer expectations remaining a major drag."

After two consecutive increases, the Conference Board said the LEI is down just 0.3 percent over the six months between November 2025 and May 2026, a much smaller rate of decline than its 1.3 percent contraction over the previous six months.

The report also said the coincident economic index rose by 0.2 percent in May after inching up by 0.1 percent in the previous month.

Meanwhile, the Conference Board said the lagging economic index edged down by 0.1 percent in May after climbing by 0.5 percent in April.

"Consumers are feeling squeezed because everyday costs-especially gas and energy-are rising faster than their incomes, leaving many households with less money available for things like travel, restaurants, entertainment, and shopping," said Zabinska-La Monica.

She continued, "The good news is that businesses are spending heavily on AI, data centers, and new technology, helping to keep the economy growing, while consumers pull back spending."

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