Global Leading Indicators

For Release 9:30 AM ET, April 10, 2026

Using the Composite Indexes: The Leading Economic Index (LEI) provides an early indication of significant turning points in the business cycle and where the economy is heading in the near term. The Coincident Economic Index (CEI) provides an indication of the current state of the economy. Additional details are below.

The Conference Board Leading Economic Index^® (LEI) for Germany declined by 0.5% in February 2026 to 88.3 (2016=100), following a 0.2% decrease in January. Despite most recent monthly declines, from August 2025 to February 2026, the LEI rose by 1.1%, accelerating from no-growth over the previous six-month period, between February and August 2025.

The Conference Board Coincident Economic Index^® (CEI) for Germany remained unchanged in February 2026 at 103.4 (2016=100), following a 0.2% decrease in January. Over the six-month period between August 2025 and February 2026, the CEI for Germany inched up by 0.1%, a reversal from a 0.1% decrease over the previous six-month period.

The next release is scheduled for Thursday, May 14, 2026, at 9:30 A.M. ET.

The Germany LEI declined in February…

…because of sustained weakness in new orders for investment goods, new residential construction orders, and to a lesser extent, consumer confidence 

About The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI) and Coincident Economic Index® (CEI) for Germany

The composite economic indexes are key elements in an analytic system designed to signal peaks and troughs in the business cycle. Comprised of multiple independent indicators, the indexes are constructed to summarize and reveal common turning points in the economy in a clearer and more convincing manner than any individual component.

The CEI reflects current economic conditions and is highly correlated with real GDP. The LEI is a predictive tool that anticipates—or “leads”—turning points in the business cycle by around seven months.

The seven components of Leading Economic Index® for Germany are:

• New Orders for Investment Goods
• Yield Spread, 10-Year Minus 3-Month Time Deposits Rate
• Consumer Confidence Index
• Inventory Change
• New Residential Construction Orders
• Stock Price Index
• Gross Enterprises and Properties Income

The four components of the Coincident Economic Index® for Germany are:

• Industrial Production
• Employed Persons
• Retail Trade
• Manufacturing Sales

To access data, please visit: https://data-central.conference-board.org

About The Conference Board

The Conference Board is the member-driven think tank that delivers Trusted Insights for What’s Ahead^®. Founded in 1916, we are a non-partisan, not-for-profit entity holding 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt status in the United States. TCB.org