Euro area LEI declines in April, CEI steady; GDP to rise at 0.9%: TCB

The Conference Board Leading Economic Index (LEI) for the euro area declined by 1.0 per cent in April 2025 to 99.9 (2016=100), marking its second consecutive monthly drop following a 0.4 per cent fall in March.

Over the six-month period from October 2024 to April 2025, the LEI contracted by 2.9 per cent—an improvement compared to the steeper 3.7 per cent decline during the prior six-month span, the TCB said in a release.

“The euro area LEI fell at a steeper rate last month, in the wake of the US tariff announcement on April 2nd. All non-financial components weighed on the Index. In particular, consumer confidence declined while expectations in the service and manufacturing sector weakened,” said Stephanie Guichard, senior economist, at The Conference Board.

Meanwhile, the Conference Board Coincident Economic Index (CEI) for the region remained unchanged in April at 110.0, after registering a 0.3 per cent increase in March. The CEI posted a 0.8 per cent rise over the latest six-month period, accelerating from 0.3 per cent growth recorded between April and October 2024.

“Taking into account the impact of US tariffs, the high level of uncertainty and the persistence of geopolitical tensions, The Conference Board projects euro area’s real GDP to grow by 0.9 per cent in 2025,” Guichard added.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (HU)