Financial News: U.S. Leading Economic Index Unexpectedly Inches Higher In

U.S. Leading Economic Index Unexpectedly Inches Higher In April

05/22/2026 - 10:46:00 (RTTNews)

(RTTNews) - A reading on leading U.S. economic indicators unexpectedly edged slightly higher in the month of April, according to a report released by the Conference Board on Friday.

The Conference Board said its leading economic index crept up by 0.1 percent in April after falling by 0.6 percent. Economists had expected the index to dip by 0.3 percent.

"The US LEI increased slightly in April, driven mainly by a rebound in stock prices and an increase in building permits, only for two and more units," said Justyna Zabinska-La Monica, Senior Manager, Business Cycle Indicators, at The Conference Board.

The leading economic index decreased by 0.7 percent over the six months between October 2025 and April 2026, reflecting a less severe rate of decline than its 1.0 percent contraction over the previous six months.

The report said the coincident economic index also rose by 0.3 percent in April after coming in unchanged in March, while the lagging economic index climbed by 0.4 percent in April after increasing by 0.3 percent in March.

"Strong investment in AI infrastructure, data centers, and energy production likely will have a positive impact on growth and sustain business spending, but may only partially offset weakness on the consumer side," said Zabinska-La Monica.

She added, "Higher gasoline and energy costs-paired with weak hiring-will likely erode household purchasing power in the months ahead, particularly for lower- and middle-income consumers."

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