Leading Economic Indicators Index in U.S. Climbed 0.5%

The index of U.S. leading economic indicators climbed more than economists expected in July, boosted by an increase in money supply that may reflect a flight to safety.

The Conference Board’s gauge of the outlook for the next three to six months climbed 0.5 percent after a 0.3 percent gain in June, the New York-based research group said today. Economists projected a 0.2 percent rise in July, according to the median forecast in a Bloomberg News survey.