The Economic Cycle Research Institute's weekly leading index measuring the U.S. Economy returned to positive territory. Weekly leading index "growth has broken into positive territory for the first time in over 22 months - an affirmation that an end to the recession is at hand," said Lakshman Achuthan, managing director of the institute.

The growth rate for the weekly leading index rose 2.1% in the week ended June 19; it had contracted 0.6% in the prior period. The index level rose to 117.6 from 117.0 in the prior period.

The growth rate is derived from a four-week moving average of the level and compared against the previous year's average.