LEADING INDICATORS NOT SO GOOD

Leading indicators fall 0.5% in August By Rex Nutting Last update: 10:03 a.m. EDT Sept. 18, 2008Comments: 10 WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- The U.S. economy looks to weaken further in coming months. The index of leading economic indicators fell 0.5% in August after a 0.7% drop in July, the Conference Board reported Thursday. "The good news on lower gas prices is more than offset by renewed, even intensified, financial market turmoil. The economy right now is so slow that it doesn't have much cushion for shocks like the recent bailouts and bankruptcies," said Ken Goldstein, labor economist at the private research group.