The Conference Board Leading Economic Index (LEI) fell 0.4 percent in March for the Euro area, continuing the declining trend from the previous month, the think tank said in an April 17 statement.
The LEI offers an early indication of where the economy is headed in the near term. The March decline followed a 0.3 percent dip in February, indicating weakness in the European economy.
All five non-financial components of the index fell last month, suggesting heightened negativity. This includes consumer expectations of the general economic situation, manufacturing new orders, residential building permits, and services business expectations.
During the six-month period between September 2024 and March 2025, LEI fell by 2.8 percent, continuing the contracting trend from the previous six-month period….