The Conference Board(R) Japan Business Cycle Indicators(SM)

Japan Leading Economic Indicators and Related Composite Indexes for March 2008

NEW YORK, May 6 /PRNewswire/ -- The Conference Board reports today that the leading index for Japan increased 0.1 percent, and the coincident index decreased 0.8 percent in March.

-- The leading index increased slightly in March following eight
consecutive declines. Business failures (inverted), stock prices, the
six-month growth rate of labor productivity, and the Tankan Business
Conditions survey made large negative contributions to the leading
index, but they were more than offset by a large positive contribution
from new orders for machinery and construction*. Despite the small
gain in the leading index in March, the leading index continued to
fall, at about a -1.3 percent rate between September 2007 to March 2008
(a -2.6 percent annual rate). The rate of decline in the leading index
has moderated slightly, but it is still well below its 0.7 percent
decline during the first half of 2007 (about a -1. 4 percent annual
rate), and the weaknesses among the leading indicators continued to be
more widespread than the strengths.

-- The coincident index fell sharply in March, but the small decline in
February was revised up due to upward revisions to industrial
production and the real retail, wholesale, and manufacturing sales
component. With this month's large decrease, the growth rate of the
coincident index has slowed to a 0.2 percent rate from September 2007
to March 2008 (about a 0.4 percent annual rate), but the strengths and
weaknesses among the coincident components remained fairly balanced
over the past six months.

-- In March, the leading index, with widespread weakness among its
components, was 5.0 percent below its most recent high level in
December 2006, and the growth of the coincident index continued to
moderate despite a brief pick up in mid 2007. At the same time, real
GDP grew 1.1 percent average annual rate in the first half of the year
and picked up to an average rate of 2.3 percent (annualized) over the
last two quarters of 2007. The current behavior of both leading and
coincident indexes suggests that elevated risks for economic weakness
continue and economic activity is likely to slow down in the near term.

LEADING INDICATORS. Three of the ten components that make up the leading index increased in March. The positive contributors to the index - in order from the largest positive contributor to the smallest - include the new orders for machinery and construction component*, interest rate spread, and the index of overtime worked. The negative contributors - in order from the largest negative contributor to the smallest - include the (inverted) business failures, stock prices, the six month growth rate of labor productivity, the Tankan business conditions survey, dwelling units started, real money supply, and real operating profits*.

With the increase of 0.1 percent in March, the leading index now stands at 84.2 (1990=100). Based on revised data, this index decreased 0.1 percent in February and decreased 0.2 percent in January. During the six-month span through March, the index decreased 1.3 percent, and four of the ten components advanced (diffusion index, six-month span equals 40.0 percent).

COINCIDENT INDICATORS. Only one of the four components that make up the coincident index increased in March. The positive contributor to the index was number of employed persons. The retail, wholesale, and manufacturing sales* component, industrial production, and wage and salary income* declined in March.

With the decrease of 0.8 percent in March, the coincident index now stands at 108.7 (1990=100). Based on revised data, this index increased 0.3 percent in February and remained unchanged in January. During the six-month span through March, the index increased 0.2 percent, and two of the four components advanced (diffusion index, six-month span equals 50.0 percent).

DATA AVAILABILITY AND NOTES. The data series used to compute the two composite indexes reported in this release are those available "as of" 5:00 P.M. ET May 3, 2008. Some series are estimated as noted below.

* The series in the leading index that are based on The Conference Board estimates are real operating profits, and new orders for machinery. The series in the coincident index that are based on The Conference Board estimates are real manufacturing sales and wage and salary income.

Summary Table of Composite Indexes

2007 6-month
Jan Feb Mar Sep to Mar

Leading index 84.2 p 84.1 p 84.2 p
Percent Change -0.2 p -0.1 p 0.1 p -1.3 p
Diffusion 45.0 40.0 25.0 40.0

Coincident Index 109.3 r 109.6 p 108.7 p
Percent Change 0.0 r 0.3 p -0.8 p 0.2 p
Diffusion 50.0 75.0 25.0 50.0

n.a. Not available p Preliminary r Revised
Indexes equal 100 in 1990
Source: The Conference Board All Rights Reserved

Website: http://www.conference-board.org/economics/bci/
E-mail: indicators@conference-board.org

The next release of the Japan Composite Indexes is scheduled for
Tuesday, May 6, 2008 at 9:00 P.M. (ET)
In Japan --- May 7, 2008 at 10:00 A.M. (JST)

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: The Conference Board

CONTACT: Professional Contacts at The Conference Board, Indicator
Program, +1-212-339-0330, Media Contacts, Frank Tortorici, +1-212-339-0231,
Carol Courter, +1-212-339-0232

Web site: http://www.conference-board.org/
http://www.conference-board.org/economics/bci

2008-05-06 21:01:58 0354655 PRNEWSWIRE