Heavy Duty Trucking Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Economic Watch: Leading Economic Index Points to Slow Growth

A measure of the health of the nation’s economy and where it's headed moved slightly higher, but one analyst says the rate of growth remains unimpressive.

Evan Lockridge
Evan LockridgeFormer Business Contributing Editor
September 18, 2015
Economic Watch: Leading Economic Index Points to Slow Growth

 

2 min to read


A measure of the health of the nation’s economy and where it's headed moved slightly higher, but one analyst says the rate of growth remains unimpressive.

Ad Loading...

The Conference Board said on Friday its Leading Economic Index increased 0.1% to 123.7, following no change in July, and a 0.6% increase in June.

Ad Loading...

“The U.S. LEI suggests economic growth will remain moderate into the new year, with little reason to expect growth to pick up substantially,” said Ataman Ozyildirim, director of business cycles and growth research at the private research group. “Average working hours and new orders in manufacturing have been weak, pointing to more slow growth in the industrial sector. However, employment, personal income and manufacturing and trade sales have all been rising, helping to offset the weakness in industrial production in recent months.”

The index is used to gauge where the economy is headed in the next three to six months. It is made up of 10 components, including stock prices, manufacturing levels and home construction.

The group’s Coincident Economic Index, which measures current economic activity, increased 0.1% in August following a 0.4% gain in July and a 0.1% improvement in June.

The Lagging Economic Index, which measures U.S. economic activity of previous months, increased 0.2% in August, following a 0.3 percent hike in July, and a 0.9% jump in June.

The report comes as one analyst describes U.S. economic growth as remaining unimpressive.

Ad Loading...

“Given the pedestrian rate of economic growth, recent bloating of inventories, the strong U.S. dollar, and the plunge in energy prices, freight volume growth has slowed significantly in 2015,” said John Larkin, Stifel Transportation and Logistics Research Group’s managing director, following FTR’s annual Transportation Conference this week in Indianapolis. “In addition, fewer supply chain disruptions combined with reduced demand have created a more fluid logistics network in 2015, when compared to 2014.”

However, he said domestic intermodal volumes should continue to grow, partially offset by some international share shift from the West Coast to the East Coast.

“Evidence suggests that shippers have pulled market share to the East Coast and there is limited evidence of much of that share reverting back. Truckers, 3PLs and railroads can collaborate to move more domestic freight, in the long-haul, high-density lanes, via rail-based intermodal.”

More Fleet Management

ATA President Chris Spear.
Fleet Managementby Jack RobertsMarch 17, 2026

ATA’s Spear Warns Fuel Prices, Trade Policy, and Global Conflict Could Stall Trucking Recovery

Speaking at the TMC Annual Meeting in Nashville, ATA President Chris Spear said trucking faces mounting pressure from rising fuel prices, geopolitical instability, and uncertainty around trade policy.

Read More →
Illustration of author headshot with black-and-white old-fashioned rig in the background

New Entrants, Chameleon Carriers, and Safety: Is It Too Easy to Start a Trucking Company?

More than 100,000 new trucking companies enter the industry each year, but regulators manage to audit only a fraction of them. That churn creates opportunities for inexperienced startups — and for “chameleon carriers” that shut down after safety violations and reappear under new identities. Read more from Deborah Lockridge in this commentary.

Read More →
Panel discussion
Fleet Managementby Deborah LockridgeMarch 12, 2026

Fleet Managers Invited to Apply for Exclusive HDT Exchange Event

HDTX is an intimate event that connects heavy-duty trucking fleet managers with industry suppliers through small-group discussions, educational sessions, and structured one-on-one meetings.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
DAT iPhone Widget.
Fleet Managementby News/Media ReleaseMarch 12, 2026

DAT Launches iPhone Widget to Help Owner-Operators Find Loads Faster

New DAT One feature shows top-paying loads directly on an iPhone’s home screen, helping carriers react faster to spot-market opportunities.

Read More →
Optimal Dynamics Scale screen shot
Fleet Managementby News/Media ReleaseMarch 12, 2026

Optimal Dynamics Launches AI System to Help Carriers Choose Better Freight

Optimal Dynamics says its new Scale platform uses AI agents and optimization to help carriers find and secure freight that improves network balance and profitability.

Read More →
DAT March 2026 trucking conditions.
Fleet Managementby Jack RobertsMarch 12, 2026

DAT: Flatbed Demand Climbs as Van and Reefer Rates Soften

DAT Freight & Analytics data shows tightening flatbed capacity, easing produce markets, and softening van and reefer rates.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
YouTube thumbnail with Mike Roeth of NACFE saying "NACFE's Messy Middle: Which Fuel Wins?"
Fuel Smartsby Deborah LockridgeMarch 11, 2026

Run on Less “Messy Middle” Data Shows Multiple Paths Forward for Truck Powertrains [Watch]

NACFE's Run on Less - Messy Middle project demonstrates the power of data in helping to guide the future of alternative fuels and powertrains for heavy-duty trucks.

Read More →
Illustration of crowded New York street overlaid with dollar signs
Fleet Managementby Deborah LockridgeMarch 11, 2026

Federal Court Lets NYC Congestion Pricing Continue

A federal court ruling allows New York City’s congestion pricing program to continue, leaving truck tolls in place for fleets delivering into Manhattan.

Read More →
Fontaine Modification Access365
Fleet Managementby News/Media ReleaseMarch 10, 2026

Fontaine Modification Launches Real-Time Truck Modification Tracking Portal

Fontaine Modification has introduced a new customer portal designed to give fleets real-time visibility into the truck modification process, addressing one of the most common questions fleet managers face: “Where’s my truck?”

Read More →
Ad Loading...
FTR Tucking Conditions March 2026.
Fleet Managementby Jack RobertsMarch 10, 2026

FTR: Trucking Conditions Index Climbs to Highest Level Since 2022

Strong freight rates, rising volumes and tighter capacity push trucking conditions higher, though diesel prices could temper gains in the near term, FTR cautions.

Read More →