LEI for UK declines by 0.3% in August 2025: Conference Board

However, the Conference Board Coincident Economic Index (CEI) for the United Kingdom increased by 0.2 per cent in August 2025 to 108.3 (2016=100), after also no change in July. Overall, the CEI for the UK grew by 0.8 per cent over the six-month period from February to August 2025, on par with the 0.8 per cent increase observed over the previous six-month period between August 2024 and February 2025, The Conference Board said in a press release.

“The UK LEI remained on a downward trend and continued to decline in August,” said Timothy Brennan, economic research associate at The Conference Board. “As in previous months, the weakness came primarily from soft consumer sentiment, lower housing sale expectations, and a rise in unemployment claimants, which more than offset gains from financial components, operating surplus, and productivity. The 6-month growth rate of the UK LEI stayed above the recession threshold, and the warning signal was not triggered either. Still, the LEI reading indicates that economic growth in the United Kingdom will be sluggish through the remainder of 2025 and into 2026. The Bank of England cut the bank rate for the third time this year in August 2025, a move that could help ease economic headwinds. The Conference Board expects UK GDP to grow by 1.3 per cent in 2025 and in 2026.”

ALCHEMPro News Desk (RR)