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Official Measures

While technically private/quasi-official, these are treated as critical government-level data. They measure how optimistic or pessimistic consumers are about their expected financial situation.

Consumer Confidence Index

CCI / Michigan Sentiment

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Measures the output of the manufacturing, mining, and electric/gas utilities industries. It shows how much of the nation's "factory capacity" is being used.

Industrial Production and Capacity Utilization

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The number of new residential construction projects that have begun during any particular month. It is a "leading indicator" because a rise in housing starts typically signals future economic growth.

Housing Starts

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Total receipts of retail stores. Since consumer spending drives roughly 70% of the U.S. economy, this is a vital "coincident" indicator.

Retail Sales

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Similar to CPI, but this is the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation metric. It tracks how much consumers spend on goods and services and how those prices change.

Personal Consumption Expenditures

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The interest rate at which commercial banks borrow and lend their excess reserves to each other overnight. It is the most influential interest rate in the world.

Federal Funds Rate

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Measures the number of workers added or lost in the economy, excluding the farming sector and government employees.

Non-Farm Payrolls

The Jobs Report

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Gross National Product

GNP

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A measure that examines the weighted average of prices of a basket of consumer goods and services, such as transportation, food, and medical care, indicating inflation.

Consumer Price Index

CPI

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The total monetary or market value of all the finished goods and services produced within a country's borders in a specific time period.

Gross Domestic Product

GDP

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The percentage of the labor force that is jobless and actively seeking employment.

Unemployment Rate

UR

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An index measuring the average change over time in the selling prices received by domestic producers for their output.

Producer Price Index

PPI

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The difference in value between a country's imports and exports over a certain period.

Balance of Trade

BOT

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