Nation : Economic Index Up Robust 0.6%

The government’s chief economic forecasting gauge rose a healthy 0.6% in December after falling in the previous month, the Commerce Department said today.

The December jump in the index of leading economic indicators, which is designed to predict economic activity six to nine months in the future, followed a 0.2% decrease in November and a 0.5% rise in October. The index has alternated between dips and gains for the past nine months, which many economists believe is a signal that the economy is headed for a slowdown in growth that would help keep inflation in check.