Economic Indicators For Dummies

Informationen zum Autor Michael Griffis, MBA, has been an active trader for more than two decades. He has written about stock trading for online audiences, and today writes about investing and marketing for clients in the banking and brokerage industries. Klappentext Everything you need to easily get a handle on economic indicatorsIn today's volatile, often troubling economic landscape, there are myriad statistics and reports that paint an economic picture that can sometimes resemble a work by Jackson Pollock. These complex and often-conflicting reports could vex even the savviest investor. Economic Indicators For Dummies explains how to interpret and use key global economic indicators to make solid investments, aid in business planning, and help develop informed decisions. In plain English, it breaks down the complex language and statistics to help you make sense of this critical information.You'll discover how to interpret economic data within the context of other sometimes-conflicting reports and statistics, and use the information to make profitable decisions. You'll understand the meaning of such data as employment indices and housing and construction stats and how they affect stocks, bonds, commodities and international markets . . . and how you can use these statistics to make investment decisions as well as plan strategic goals for business growth. Economic Indicators For Dummies breaks down dozens of statistics and patterns to give you a better understanding of how various sources of data and information can be used. Breaks down jargon and statistical concepts Covers how to use publicly available economic indicators to better position your portfolio, improve returns, and make sensible, long-range business plans* Discusses the reliability and timeliness of the collected data, while helping investors prioritize the flow of economic information to avoid information overloadWhether you're an investor, economics student, or business professional involved in making key strategic decisions for your company, Economic Indicators For Dummies has you covered. Zusammenfassung Everything you need to easily get a handle on economic indicators In today's volatile, often troubling economic landscape, there are myriad statistics and reports that paint an economic picture that can sometimes resemble a work by Jackson Pollock. These complex and often-conflicting reports could vex even the savviest investor. Inhaltsverzeichnis Introduction 1 About This Book 1 Conventions Used in This Book 2 Foolish Assumptions 3 What Not to Read 4 How the Book Is Organized 4 Part I: Figuring Out the Economy 4 Part II: Making Money, Spending Money: Employment and Consumer Indicators 4 Part III: The Essence of Business: Product and Service Indicators 5 Part IV: Inflation, Productivity, Interest Rates, and Commodities: Oh My! 5 Part V: International Intrigue: Indicators beyond the United States 5 Part VI: The Part of Tens 6 Icons Used in This Book 6 Where to Go from Here 6 Part I: Figuring Out the Economy 7 Chapter 1: Introducing Economic Indicators 9 Understanding What Economic Indicators Are 10 Reading the economy through economic indicators 10 Cycling through economic ups and downs 11 Identifying What Indicators Indicate 12 Tracking consumer spending 12 Looking at the big picture 13 Eyeing manufacturing 14 Counting up the number of bought, sold, and newly built homes 15 Monitoring inflation 15 Measuring productivity 16 Looking at loans and commodity purchases 16 Following worldwide economies 17 Knowing How to Start Following Economic Indicators 18 Analyzing the data 19 Tracking economic indicator release dates 19 Chapter 2: Explaining Economic Jarg...

Auteur

Michael Griffis, MBA, has been an active trader for more than two decades. He has written about stock trading for online audiences, and today writes about investing and marketing for clients in the banking and brokerage industries.

Texte du rabat

Everything you need to easily get a handle on economic indicators In today's volatile, often troubling economic landscape, there are myriad statistics and reports that paint an economic picture that can sometimes resemble a work by Jackson Pollock. These complex and often-conflicting reports could vex even the savviest investor. Economic Indicators For Dummies explains how to interpret and use key global economic indicators to make solid investments, aid in business planning, and help develop informed decisions. In plain English, it breaks down the complex language and statistics to help you make sense of this critical information. You'll discover how to interpret economic data within the context of other sometimes-conflicting reports and statistics, and use the information to make profitable decisions. You'll understand the meaning of such data as employment indices and housing and construction stats and how they affect stocks, bonds, commodities and international markets . . . and how you can use these statistics to make investment decisions as well as plan strategic goals for business growth. Economic Indicators For Dummies breaks down dozens of statistics and patterns to give you a better understanding of how various sources of data and information can be used. Breaks down jargon and statistical concepts Covers how to use publicly available economic indicators to better position your portfolio, improve returns, and make sensible, long-range business plans * Discusses the reliability and timeliness of the collected data, while helping investors prioritize the flow of economic information to avoid information overload Whether you're an investor, economics student, or business professional involved in making key strategic decisions for your company, Economic Indicators For Dummies has you covered.

Contenu

Introduction 1

About This Book 1

Conventions Used in This Book 2

Foolish Assumptions 3

What Not to Read 4

How the Book Is Organized 4

Part I: Figuring Out the Economy 4

Part II: Making Money, Spending Money: Employment and Consumer Indicators 4

Part III: The Essence of Business: Product and Service Indicators 5

Part IV: Inflation, Productivity, Interest Rates, and Commodities: Oh My! 5

Part V: International Intrigue: Indicators beyond the United States 5

Part VI: The Part of Tens 6

Icons Used in This Book 6

Where to Go from Here 6

Part I: Figuring Out the Economy 7

Chapter 1: Introducing Economic Indicators 9

Understanding What Economic Indicators Are 10

Reading the economy through economic indicators 10

Cycling through economic ups and downs 11

Identifying What Indicators Indicate 12

Tracking consumer spending 12

Looking at the big picture 13

Eyeing manufacturing 14

Counting up the number of bought, sold, and newly built homes 15

Monitoring inflation 15

Measuring productivity 16

Looking at loans and commodity purchases 16

Following worldwide economies 17

Knowing How to Start Following Economic Indicators 18

Analyzing the data 19

Tracking economic indicator release dates 19

Chapter 2: Explaining Economic Jargon 21

Identifying Types of Economic Indicators 21

Summarizing economic results 22

Surveying for information 22

Indexing the economy 24

Understanding How Economists Analyze the Data 27

Measuring growth 27

Annualizing reported data 29

Smoothing data with moving averages 32

Massaging Economic Data to Make the Results More Useful 35

Adjusting for inflation 35

Adjusting for seasonal fluctuations 37

Considering the Timeliness of Economic Indicators 37

Leading indicators make forecasts 38

Coincident indicators are no coincidence 38

Lagging indicators can't foretell the future 39

Looking into the Future with Consensus Forecasts 39

Finding consensus forecasts 40

Analyzing the accuracy of the consensus 40

Amending and Modifying Data with Revision Reports 41

Revisi…