US growth gauge improved

A measure of future US economic growth edged up to its highest level in six months last week, while the annualised growth rate also saw improvement, a research group said on Friday. The Economic Cycle Research Institute, a New York-based independent forecasting group, said its Weekly Leading Index rose to 124.2 in the week ended February 24 from a downwardly revised 123.1 the previous week.
That was the highest level since mid-August. The previous week's figure was originally reported as 123.2. The index's annualised growth rate gained to minus 3.0 percent from minus 3.5 percent a week earlier. It was also at its highest level since August.