The composite index of Leading Economic Indicators was up 0.2% in September following an unrevised 0.2% decline in August, the Conference Board reported Thursday.
The coincident index gained 0.2% in September after a revised flat reading in August, first reported as a 0.1% increase, while the lagging index gained 0.2% after an unrevised 0.2% rise in August.
The LEI stands at 124.4, the coincident index is at 114.2 and the lagging index is at 122.3 The LEI has a baseline of 100, which reflects the level in 2010.
Economists polled by Thomson Reuters predicted LEI would be up 0.2% in the month.
"The U.S. LEI increased in September, reversing its August decline, which together with the pickup in the six-month growth rate suggests that the economy should continue expanding at a moderate pace through early 2017," said Ataman Ozyildirim, director of business cycles and growth research at The Conference Board. "Housing permits, unemployment insurance claims, and the interest rate spread were the main components lifting the index in September. Overall, the strengths among the leading indicators are outweighing modest weaknesses in stock prices and the average workweek."
