Using Economic Indicators to Improve Investment Analysis

"A virtual bible of how economic indicators are constructed and used. Important tidbits of history are mixed with present-day nuances to explain why we should care about all the economic indicators." —Allen Grommet, Senior Economist, Cambridge Consumer Credit Index "This book is an indispensable resource for anyone that wants a practical understanding of the economy and how it is measured. The information is clear, concise, and will help investors at all levels leverage the vast amount of economic data available." —Jesse Harriott, PhD, Vice President of Research, Monster Worldwide, Inc. This updated guide to economic indicators -- what they are and what they really mean -- covers all major economic indicators, from GDP to the consumer price index. You'll not only learn what key economic measurements are and how to read and interpret them, you'll discover how to use them to make better, more-informed financial, trading, and investing decisions.

Illustrations v Preface ix Acknowledgments xiii CHAPTER 1 Cycles, Markets, and Participants 1 CHAPTER 2 National Income and Product Accounts 23 CHAPTER 3 The Consumer Sector 53 CHAPTER 4 Investment Spending 87 CHAPTER 5 The Foreign Sector 115 CHAPTER 6 The Government Sector 129 CHAPTER 7 Inflation 135 CHAPTER 8 The Labor Market 175 CHAPTER 9 Other Measures of Production 201 CHAPTER 10 The Federal Reserve System 227 CHAPTER 11 The Treasury 261 CHAPTER 12 Making Strategic Investment Decisions 279 Appendix A Sources of Information 303 Appendix B Economic Indicator Releases by Statistical Agency 309 Notes 313 Bibliography 319 About the Author 329 Index 331