The Conference Board Leading Economic Index(LEI) for China increased 0.2 percent in April to 154.5 (2004 = 100), following a 0.9 percent increase in March and a 0.1 percent decline in February. Two of the six components contributed positively to the index in April.

Says The Conference Board China Center resident economist Bill Adams: “The China LEI’s recent slower trend is consistent with more moderate growth in economic activity in coming months. The LEI for China has increased modestly in the early months of 2011, supported by expansion in credit and construction activity despite weakness in consumer expectations and production indicators. Cooler economic conditions in the U.S. and Europe have also contributed to weaker conditions for the export sector since the beginning of the year.”

The Conference Board Coincident Economic Index(CEI) for China, which measures current economic activity, increased 1.3 percent in April to 201.8 (2004 = 100), following a 1.3 percent increase in March and a 0.6 percent increase in February. All five components contributed positively to the index in April.

The Conference Board LEI for China aggregates six economic indicators that measure economic activity in China. Each of the LEI components has proven accurate on its own. Aggregating individual indicators into a composite index filters out so-called “noise” to show underlying trends more clearly.