Official Measures

Title	Abbreviation / Nick Name	Description	Source	Formula	Reporting Cadence
Consumer Confidence Index	CCI / Michigan Sentiment	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.	Conference Board / University of Michigan
Industrial Production and Capacity Utilization		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.	U.S. Census Bureau / HUD
Housing Starts		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.	U.S. Census Bureau
Retail Sales		Total receipts of retail stores. Since consumer spending drives roughly 70% of the U.S. economy, this is a vital "coincident" indicator.	U.S. Census Bureau
Personal Consumption Expenditures		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.	U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
Federal Funds Rate		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 Reserve Board
Non-Farm Payrolls	The Jobs Report	Measures the number of workers added or lost in the economy, excluding the farming sector and government employees.	Bureau of Labor Statistics		Monthly; First Friday
Gross National Product	GNP		U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
Consumer Price Index	CPI	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.	Bureau of Labor Statistics	CPI = (Cost of Market Basket in Current Year / Cost of Market Basket in Base Year) × 100
Gross Domestic Product	GDP	The total monetary or market value of all the finished goods and services produced within a country's borders in a specific time period.	U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis	GDP = Consumption + Investment + Government Spending + (Exports − Imports)
Unemployment Rate	UR	The percentage of the labor force that is jobless and actively seeking employment.	Bureau of Labor Statistics	Unemployment Rate = (Number of Unemployed / Labor Force) × 100
Producer Price Index	PPI	An index measuring the average change over time in the selling prices received by domestic producers for their output.	Bureau of Labor Statistics	PPI = (Price of Producer Goods in Current Year / Price of Producer Goods in Base Year) × 100
Balance of Trade	BOT	The difference in value between a country's imports and exports over a certain period.	U.S. Census Bureau	Balance of Trade = Value of Exports − Value of Imports