By Ed Frankl
The U.S. economy continues to show signals it will slow in the second half of 2025, as the impact of tariffs weigh more strongly amid weak consumer sentiment, a monthly set of economic indicators say.
The Leading Economic Index, or LEI, published Thursday by research group The Conference Board, declined 0.1% to 98.7 in July, cooling from the 0.3% fall in June and matching expectations of a consensus of economists polled by The Wall Street Journal.
“Pessimistic consumer expectations for business conditions and weak new orders continued to weigh down the index,” said Justyna Zabinska-La Monica, senior manager for business cycle indicators at The Conference Board.
However, stock prices continued to be a positive, alongside initial claims for unemployment insurance that were much lower in July than in June. While the LEI’s six-month growth rate remains…
