Economic indicators
If you watch CNBC or read the business section of the newspaper, you'll often come across the term "economic indicators." It sounds intimidating, but the phrase simply refers to a statistic about the economy that says something about its direction or recent past performance. Economic indicators are often used to predict the direction of the economy. Examples of economic indicators include unemployment and interest rate statistics. You can use economic indicators in your personal life to help you make decisions about investing, home-buying, retirement and other money matters.
Instructions
1. Start with the economic indicators information that the Government Printing Office (GPO) provides. The GPO gathers indicators from all the different agencies of the federal government, including the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). You can search by year or keyword.
2. Turn to the Beige Book from the Federal Reserve Bank. The Beige Book is a compilation of indicators that are gathered from the 12 Federal Reserve districts. The Beige Book includes statistics on consumer spending, manufacturing, financial services, real estate, agriculture and employment.
3. Try a non-governmental source. The Conference Board, a nonprofit business advisory group, provides its own economic indicators. The Board's best-known indicator is the Consumer Confidence Index.
4. Look beyond the U.S. for economic indicators. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) offers indicators that cover its 34 member countries.
