NHBR/e-forecasting economic index rises

0.1% increase reported for March

The latest NHBR/e-forecasting.com New Hampshire Leading Economic Indicator rose in March as economic activity picked up from a month earlier.

For the month, the indicator stood at 129.9, where economic activity in the year 2000 equals 100.

The composite New Hampshire index of state leading indicators, which is produced jointly by e-forecasting.com and NHBR, increased 0.1 percent in March after falling 0.2 percent in February.

Four of the eight components that make up the indicator had a positive contribution in March: unemployment claims; stock prices (national); interest rate spread; and technology index (national).

Four of the eight components had a negative contribution: weekly hours in manufacturing; building permits; exports of manufactures; and consumer expectations (regional).

Looking at its six-month growth rate, a signal of turning points, New Hampshire's Leading Indicator's six-month growth rate stood at 3.4 percent in March.