The Economic Planning Agency said Wednesday that three economic gauges exceeded the 50 percent boom-or-bust line in October for the first time since November 1996.

The index of coincident indicators, a measure of the state of the economy, stood at 85.7 percent in the latest reporting month, meaning that the economy is continuing its recovery, said Yoshihiko Senoo, head of the EPA'S Business Statistics Research Division.

The index of leading indicators, which projects economic growth six to nine months down the road, was also 85.7 percent.