economic indicator
GDP, for instance
An economic indicator is a statistic used to gauge the health or direction of an economy.
Leading indicators like housing starts and stock prices predict future trends.
Lagging indicators like unemployment rates confirm patterns already underway.
Analysts watch indicators such as GDP growth, inflation, and consumer spending to assess economic conditions: The jobs report is a key economic indicator.
National output abbreviation
- unemployment ratePercentage without jobs seeking work
- inflation rateSpeed of rising costs
- consumer price indexInflation tracking statistic
- interest ratesPrice paid for borrowing
trade balance · retail sales · industrial production · housing starts · consumer confidence · money supply · stock market index · exchange rates
Increase in scope
- recessionProlonged economic decline
- contractionReduction in size
- growthIncrease in size
- boomLoud deep sound
bust · recovery · slowdown · overheating · soft landing · hard landing · stagflation · deflation
Standard for comparison
- gaugeStandard of measurement
- barometerInstrument gauging atmospheric pressure
- metricStandard of measurement
- indexAlphabetical guide to contents
yardstick · signal · proxy · bellwether · measure · reading · snapshot · pulse
Something that extends outward
- outlookAttitude toward the future
- predictionForecast of coming events
- business cycleEconomy's periodic ups and downs
- growth forecastPredicted rate of expansion
Comparing same periods annually
- preliminaryBefore the main part
- revisedChanged after reconsideration
- baselineStandard for comparison
National currency management institution
- federal reserveNational monetary authority holdings
- monetary policyCentral bank economic controls
- fiscal policyState spending and taxation
- stimulusWhat prompts a reaction
GDP
National output abbreviation
- unemployment ratePercentage without jobs seeking work
- inflation rateSpeed of rising costs
- consumer price indexInflation tracking statistic
interest rates · trade balance · retail sales · industrial production · housing starts · consumer confidence · money supply · stock market index · exchange rates · balance of payments
expansion
Increase in scope
- recessionProlonged economic decline
- contractionReduction in size
- growthIncrease in size
boom · bust · recovery · slowdown · overheating · soft landing · hard landing · stagflation · deflation · disinflation
benchmark
Standard for comparison
- gaugeStandard of measurement
- barometerInstrument gauging atmospheric pressure
- metricStandard of measurement
index · yardstick · signal · proxy · bellwether · measure · reading · snapshot · pulse · scorecard
projection
Something that extends outward
- outlookAttitude toward the future
- predictionForecast of coming events
- business cycleEconomy's periodic ups and downs
year-over-year
Comparing same periods annually
- preliminaryBefore the main part
- revisedChanged after reconsideration
- baselineStandard for comparison
central bank
National currency management institution
- federal reserveNational monetary authority holdings
- monetary policyCentral bank economic controls
- fiscal policyState spending and taxation
- Prediction Toolsweather radar, barometer, thermometer, satellite, weather vane
- economicssupply and demand, inflation, GDP, GNP, gross domestic product
- warning signsred flag, yield sign, warning sign, caution sign, siren
- Market IndicesS&P 500, Dow Jones, NASDAQ, NASDAQ 100, Nikkei
economy, indicate, economic, indication, indicator, economical, economics, indicated, indicating