Leading indicators rise slightly

NEW YORK, Feb. 17 (UPI) -- The U.S. index of leading economic indicators rose slightly in January, the Conference Board said Thursday.

The Leading Economic Index rose 0.1 percent after jumping 1 in December and 1.1 percent in November, the Conference Board said.

The headline index, which uses 2004 as a base year with an assigned value of 100, rose in January to 112.3.

In a statement, Conference Board economist Ken Goldstein said, "The economy gained some momentum in late fall and the latest data suggest that trend will continue."

"The cumulative change in the U.S. leading economic indicator over the last six months is a sharp 3 percent, signaling continued expansion," he said.