Are Leading Indicators Signaling Caution?

This week Brian discusses the Conference Board’s latest Leading Economic Index (LEI), which was released Friday, February 17, 2023. The LEI is an aggregate of 10 economic and market indicators that tend to lead changes in economic activity. The index declined 0.3% for the month and 5.9% for the past year, a slight improvement from the one-year change the previous month. Despite some signs of improvement, the Conference Board noted that their LEI has exhibited the depth, duration, and dispersion that has acted as a reliable indicator of elevated recession risk in the past. Chart 1Send in your questions!