Financial News: U.S. Leading Economic Index Pulls Back Sharply In

U.S. Leading Economic Index Pulls Back Sharply In March

04/30/2026 - 10:37:00 (RTTNews)

(RTTNews) - The Conference Board released a report on Thursday showing a pullback by its reading on leading U.S. economic indicators in the month of March.

The report said the leading economic index slid by 0.6 percent in March, more than reversing the 0.3 percent increase in February.

"After rising in February, the US LEI pulled back sharply in March, as building permits declined and consumer expectations and stock prices weakened," said Justyna Zabinska-La Monica, Senior Manager, Business Cycle Indicators, at The Conference Board.

She added, "The LEI continues to signal a slowdown in the economy over the coming months, as higher oil prices and supply chain tensions will likely place additional upward pressure on inflation and further reduce consumers' purchasing power."

Meanwhile, the Conference Board said the leading economic index fell by 1.0 percent over the six months between September 2025 and March 2026, more than halving the rate of decline of its 2.1 percent contraction over the previous six-month period.

The report also said the lagging economic index rose by 0.3 percent in March after inching up by 0.2 percent in February, while the coincident economic was unchanged in both March and February.

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