BRUSSELS, Oct. 28 (UPI) -- The Leading Economic Index for the 17 nations that share the euro as currency rose 0.5 percent in September, the Conference Board said Monday.
The index, which assigns 2004 a base value of 100, climbed to 109.6 in the month after gaining 0.9 percent in July and 1 percent in August.
"The improvement in the Leading Economic Index has slowed somewhat in September, but the six-month average continues to strengthen," Conference Board Chief Economist Bart van Ark said in a statement.
The upturn has included increased confidence among consumers and businesses, Ark said, which "may help stimulate retail sales in the upcoming holiday season."
"This suggests that while current economic conditions are still weak, there is good reason to believe that the eurozone is past the bottom of the recession," he said.
