Leading economic indicators rise 0.3% in March (by Ruth Mantell)

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- A gradual improvement in U.S. economic growth is expected past the summer, the Conference Board said Thursday as it reported that its index of leading economic indicators increased 0.3% in March, led by the interest rate spread. "Despite relatively weak data on jobs, home building and output in the past month or two, the indicators signal continued economic momentum," said Ken Goldstein, economist at the Conference Board. Economists polled by MarketWatch had forecast an increase of 0.2% in March after an unrevised 0.7% gain in February. The LEI is a weighted gauge of 10 indicators that are designed to signal business cycle peaks and troughs. Among the 10 indicators that make up the LEI, seven made positive contributions in March.