German Leading Index Climbs At Slower Pace In January: Conference Board

(RTTNews) - A measure of turning points in the German economy in coming months grew at a slower rate in January, data from the Conference Board showed Friday.

The leading economic index for Germany rose 0.4 percent monthly after a 0.8 percent climb in the previous month. In the six months to January, the index added 0.3 points, moving back into positive territory for the first time since June 2014.

Six of the seven components of the leading index increased in January.

The coincident index, which reflects the current economic situation, increased 0.3 percent following a 0.2 percent gain in December. In the July to January period, the index climbed 0.7 percent.

The strengths among the leading as well as coincident indicators have become more widespread than the weaknesses in recent months, the think-tank said.

"Taken together, the behavior of the composite indexes suggests that the economy should continue to expand, and may see a slight pickup in the near-term," the Conference Board said.