Index of U.S. Leading Indicators Rises More than Forecast

The index of U.S. leading economic indicators climbed more than forecast in July, and consumer confidence unexpectedly improved this month, signs of sustained expansion in the world’s largest economy.

The Conference Board’s gauge of the outlook for the next three to six months increased 0.4 percent, the biggest gain since February, after a revised 0.4 percent drop in June, the New York-based group said today. The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan preliminary index of consumer sentiment increased to 73.6, the highest level since May, from 72.3 in July.