Leading Indicator Shows US Employment Poised to Rise

Nearly 50 percent of employers said in a survey that they planned to hire this year.

Signage for a job fair on 5th Avenue after the release of the jobs report in Manhattan, New York City, on Sept. 3, 2021. Andrew Kelly/Reuters

The Conference Board’s Employment Trends Index (ETI), a leading economic indicator, suggests an incoming rise in U.S. employment numbers over the coming months, according to a Jan. 13 statement from the nonprofit think tank.

The ETI, which forecasts shifts in employment, rose marginally to 109.7 in December 2024 from the previous month. An increase in the index value is an indication that employment numbers are likely to rise.