US economic indicators dip more than expected

School teacher Liza Gleason shops for back to school supplies at a Target store in Daly City, California

WASHINGTON (AFP) — A forward-looking index of key US economic indicators fell by a more-than-expected 0.9 percent in July as economic headwinds continued to challenge American consumers, the Conference Board said Thursday.

The private survey group said its Leading Economic Index, which tracks a range of economic and market factors, dropped notably after remaining unchanged in June, suggesting consumers remain pessimistic about economic momentum.