Recession is losing steam, Conference Board reports

Recession losing steam, Conference Board says.

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch)

The U.S. recession is "losing steam" and a slow recovery should begin by the end of the year, the Conference Board said Thursday as it announced that the index of leading economic indicators rose 1.2% in May, the second straight increase. The increase was in line with the MarketWatch consensus forecast of 1.1% increase. Seven of the 10 indicators improved in May, the private research organization said. The leading index is up 1.2% in the past six months, the first increase since April 2007. The coincident index fell 0.2% in May, "but the declines are less intense," said Ken Goldstein, an economist for the organization