Feb leading indicators tick up; slow recovery seen

By Ruth Mantell
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- A slow recovery is expected this summer, and economic conditions will improve moderately in the near term, the Conference Board said Thursday. As expected by analysts, the index of leading economic indicators rose 0.1% in February, marking 11 consecutive gains, following an increase of 0.3% in January. The interest rate spread and real money supply made the largest positive contributions in February, while average weekly manufacturing hours and stock prices made the largest negative contributions. "Going forward, the big question remains the strength of demand," said Ken Goldstein, economist at the Conference Board. "Without increased consumer demand, job growth will likely be minimal over the next few months."