The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI) for the U.K. increased 0.2 percent in both September and August, after an increase of 0.1 percent in July. Five of the seven components made positive contributions to the index this month. The index now stands at 102.8 (2004=100). “The moderate improvement in the September LEI was broad based and represented its third consecutive monthly increase. Despite this moderate gain, the economy, which was buoyed by temporary factors like the London Olympics, is likely to slow in the final quarter of this year,” says Brian Schaitkin, European Economist with The Conference ... (full story)