The Conference Board Leading Economic Index (LEI) for the Euro Area increased in December, rising to 103.0 (2004 = 100), following a 0.1 percent decrease in November and a 0.2 percent decrease in October. 

Said Jean-Claude Manini, The Conference Board Senior Economist for Europe: "The LEI for the Euro Area rose moderately in December – its first increase in ten months. In part, this improvement can be attributed to a modest decrease in the level of stress on financial markets following the December EU summit and the ECB intervention. Business confidence improved too, but it remained in negative territory, suggesting that economic activity should continue to contract in the very near term. Overall, the balance of risks has improved marginally, increasing the probability that the Euro Area may manage to muddle through the debt crisis, at least for now."

The Conference Board Coincident Economic Index (CEI) for the Euro Area, which measures current economic activity, remained unchanged in December. The index stands at 102.7 (2004 = 100) according to preliminary estimates*. The CEI decreased 0.1 percent in both November and October.