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The Conference Board Leading Economic Index(TM) for the U.S. Increases SharplyNEW YORK, May 21 /PRNewswire/ -- The Conference Board Leading Economic Index(TM) (LEI) for the U.S. increased 1.0 percent in April, following a 0.2 percent decline in March and a 0.5 percent decline in February. Says Ken Goldstein, Economist at The Conference Board: "The leading indicators suggest that while the recession will continue in the near term, the declines will be less intense. The question is how long before declines in activity give way to small increases. If the indicators continue on the current track, that point might be reached in the second half of the year." LEADING INDICATORS Seven of the ten indicators that make up The Conference Board LEI for the U.S. increased in April. The positive contributors -- beginning with the largest positive contributor -- were stock prices, interest rate spread, the index of consumer expectations, average weekly initial claims for unemployment insurance (inverted), average weekly manufacturing hours, index of supplier deliveries (vendor performance), and manufacturers' new orders for consumer goods and materials*. The negative contributors -- beginning with the largest negative contributor -- were real money supply*, building permits, and manufacturers' new orders for nondefense capital goods*. The Conference Board LEI for the U.S. now stands at 99.0 (2004=100). Based on revised data, this index decreased 0.2 percent in March and decreased 0.5 percent in February. During the six-month span through April, the leading economic index decreased 0.6 percent, with three out of ten components advancing (diffusion index, six-month span equals 30 percent). COINCIDENT INDICATORS Two of the four indicators that make up The Conference Board CEI for the U.S. increased in April. The positive contributors to the index -- beginning with the largest positive contributor -- were personal income less transfer payments* and manufacturing and trade sales*. The negative contributors -- beginning with the largest negative contributor -- were employees on nonagricultural payrolls and industrial production. The Conference Board CEI for the U.S. now stands at 101.1 (2004=100). This index decreased 0.6 percent in March and decreased 0.6 percent in February. During the six-month period through April, the coincident economic index decreased 3.5 percent, with one out of four components advancing (diffusion index, six-month span equals 25 percent). LAGGING INDICATORS The Conference Board LAG for the U.S. stands at 112.5 (2004=100) in April, with one of the seven components advancing. The positive contributor to the index was the ratio of consumer installment credit to personal income*. The negative contributors -- beginning with the largest negative contributor -- were commercial and industrial loans outstanding*, average duration of unemployment (inverted), change in labor cost per unit of output*, change in CPI for services, and ratio of manufacturing and trade inventories to sales*. The average prime rate charged by banks* held steady in April. Based on revised data, the lagging economic index decreased 0.5 percent in March and decreased 0.6 percent in February. DATA AVAILABILITY AND NOTES The data series used to compute The Conference Board Leading Economic Index(TM) (LEI) for the U.S., The Conference Board Coincident Economic Index(TM) (CEI) for the U.S. and The Conference Board Lagging Economic Index(TM) (LAG) for the U.S. are those available "as of" 12 Noon on May 19, 2009. Some series are estimated as noted below. * Series in The Conference Board LEI for the U.S. based on our estimates are manufacturers' new orders for consumer goods and materials, manufacturers' new orders for nondefense capital goods, and the personal consumption expenditure used to deflate the money supply. Series in The Conference Board CEI for the U.S. that are based on our estimates are personal income less transfer payments and manufacturing and trade sales. Series in The Conference Board LAG for the U.S. that are based on our estimates are inventories to sales ratio, consumer installment credit to income ratio, change in labor cost per unit of output, and the personal consumption expenditure used to deflate commercial and industrial loans outstanding. The procedure used to estimate the current month's personal consumption expenditure deflator (used in the calculation of real money supply and commercial and industrial loans outstanding) now incorporates the current month's consumer price index when it is available before the release of The Conference Board LEI for the U.S. Website: www.conference-board.org/economics/bci Source: The Conference Board CONTACT: Indicators Program, +1-212-339-0330, indicators@conference-board.org, or Frank Tortorici, +1-212-339-0231, or Carol Courter, +1-212-339-0232, courter@conference-board.org, or Ken Goldstein, +1-212-339-0331, Ken.goldstein@conference-board.org, all for The Conference Board Web Site: http://www.conference-board.org/Welcome to N V Amber Alert Updater for missing children.
Code Amber News Service (CANS) issued this Missing Endangered person Alert after the girl disappeared from her bedroom some time after 3 AM Tuesday morning in Satsuma. Satsuma is approximately 75 miles east of Gainsville. Haleigh Cummings a white female, 3 feet tall, weighs 39 pounds and has blond hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a pink shirt and underwear. There are no suspects in this case at this time. However, due to the circumstances of the child's disappearance an abduction is strongly suspected. There is no suspect vehicle at this time. Anyone with information is asked to call the Putnam County Sheriff's office at (386) 329-0808 or dial 911. Download free video of missing Florida child Haleigh Cummings AMBER Alert Issued for 13 Year Old Florida Girl
Posted: Monday May 5, 2009 2:01 PM CT The State of Florida issued the Amber Alert Tuesday afternoon (05-09) after the girl was reportedly abducted in Homestead earlier Tuesday. Krystal Borrego a white female, 13 years old, 5' 2" tall with brown hair and brown eyes and weighs 130 pounds. The suspect is an unknown black male. The suspect vehicle is a 1990's, dark red two door Saturn. Anyone with information is asked to call the Homestead Police Department at 1-305-247-1535 or dial 911. ....................... Amber Alert Issued for 12 Year Old Florida Girl Posted: Sunday, March 29, 2009 11:16 AM CT
Anyone with information is asked to call the Manatee County Sheriff at 941-747-3011 or dial 911. May 25th Is National Missing Children's Day Email this alert to a friend in the area.
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