WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - The leading economic index rose 0.6% in November, indicating the U.S. is likely to expand at a fairly robust pace in the next few months, according to the Conference Board said. "The increase in the LEI signals continued moderate growth through the winter season," Ken Goldstein, economist at the board, said Thursday. The coincident index, which measures current conditions, rose 0.4% in November, while the lagging index gained 0.3%. In October, the increase in the index was revised down a hair to show a 0.8% increase. The LEI is a weighted gauge of 10 indicators designed to signal business-cycle peaks and valleys.