OECD composite leading indicators (CLIs) for March 2009 continue to point to a strong slowdown in the OECD. However France, Italy and the United Kingdom are showing tentative signs of, at least, a pause in the economic slowdown. Weak though these signals are, they are present in the majority of the CLI component series for these countries. In other major OECD economies the CLIs continue to point to deterioration in the business cycle, but at a decreasing rate. However, with the exception of China, where signs of a pause have also emerged, major non-OECD economies still face deteriorating conditions.
