Leading Economic Indicators Suggest Sustained Japan Recovery

By Agence France-Presse Japan's index of leading economic indicators stood at 66.7 for April, staying above the boom-or-bust line for the eighth straight month and suggesting a sustained recovery, preliminary data showed June 4. A reading above 50 indicates economic expansion in the next three to six months. The coincident index, which measures the current state of the economy, was 44.4, falling below the boom-or-bust line for the first time in a year after it registered 50 in March. The coincident index was last below the 50 level in April 2003, when it registered 18.2 points. The lagging index, which measures economic performance in the past six to 12 months, was at 66.7, above 50 for the eighth consecutive month. Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2004