NEW YORK (AP) — A private research group's forecasting gauge suggests some bumps in the U.S. economic recovery this summer.

The Conference Board says its index of leading economic indicators dropped 0.3 percent in April, the first decline since June 2010.

The index has moved steeply higher in four of the past five months as the job market improved and the stock market rallied. Last month's spike in the number of people filing for unemployment assistance — which many economists think was temporary — and a troubled housing market are weighing on the indicators.

Conference Board economist Ken Goldstein says "economic growth will likely continue through the summer and fall, but the pace of economic activity may be choppy."