Despite a two-tenth's March decline in its leading economic index, Japan's economy is likely to grow at "a moderate to stoing rate" for the next several months, says the Conference Board, a New York-based business research group.
The board's leading economic index for Japan now stands at 101.6 (1990=100). The index advanced three-tenths of a percentage point in each of the first two months of this year.
Japan's GDP, adjusted for inflation, grew at an annual rate of 3.1% during the last half of 2005, down from an annual rate of 5.6% during the first half of last year. However, during the final quarter of 2005, the Japanese economy grew at an annual rate of 5.4%.
