On Thursday, it was reported that claims fell from 403,000 to 386,000 for the week ending on August 16th. In addition, the Conference Board?s index of leading indicators rose .4%, which was the fourth straight monthly increase. This index combines recent economic data into a forward-looking indicator and is meant to predict economic performance three to six months ahead. Whether the decline in new jobless claims will translate into actual employment growth is still questionable.