Leading indicators released for the month
Unlike lagging indicators, these give us a snapshot of the economy as it stands.
The Conference Board will release its monthly index of leading indicators Thursday: a collection of data from different pieces of the economy, including building permits, stock prices, consumer expectations, among others, all rolled into one tidy snapshot.
Chances are, the U.S. will look pretty as a picture, especially compared to other countries, says Bernie Baumohl, with the Economic Outlook Group. Europe and Japan are sluggish; China’s growth is slowing; and Russia’s in the midst of a currency crisis.
But so far, the U.S. is shrugging off the rest of the world’s economic woes, says Guy Berger, a U.S. economist at RBS Securities.
Click the media player to hear more.