DUSHANBE, August 12, 2008, Asia-Plus - The world''s leading developed economies are set to slow more sharply in the months ahead, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development''s indicators of future activity. The OECD said its composite leading indicator fell to 96.8 in June from 97.4 in May and was down five points compared with the year-earlier month, World Bank reported.

The leading indicators for six of the Group of Seven economies fell from the previous month, although Japan''s indicators were unchanged. Over the year, the indicators for all seven economies were down sharply. … Some G-7 economies will fare worse than others over the remainder of this year and into 2009. The OECD said that while its leading indicators point to slowdowns in the U.S., Japan, Germany, the U.K. and Canada, they point to ‘strong’ slowdowns in France and Italy.