Leading Indicators in U.S. Climb for Fourth Straight Month

The index of U.S. leading indicators increased in December, extending its rise to four straight months, as the world’s largest economy expanded.

The Conference Board’s index, a gauge of the outlook for the next three to six months, increased 0.5 percent in December, after a revised 0.4 percent gain in November, the New York-based group said today. The median forecast of 49 economists surveyed by Bloomberg called for a 0.4 percent advance.