The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI) for the Euro Area rose 0.2 percent March to 111.2 (2004=100), following a 0.1 percent increase in February and 1.4 percent increase in January.
"The Euro Area LEI increased in March, but its pace of growth has recently slowed, suggesting that the recovery in the Euro Area is not likely to pick up substantially in the months ahead," says Bert Colijn, senior economist at The Conference Board.
"The strong euro is beginning to affect European exports and drive deflationary concerns, while the evolving situation in Ukraine is adding to uncertainty about the growth outlook. Given these conditions, we expect economic growth in the Euro Area to only be around 1 percent for 2014."
The Conference Board Coincident Economic Index® (CEI) for the Euro Area, which measures current economic activity, was unchanged in March, according to preliminary estimates. The index now stands at 101.4* (2004 = 100). The CEI was unchanged in February and increased 0.2 percent in January.
