Table of Contents
Introduction 1Part I: Figuring Out the Economy 7
Chapter 1: Introducing Economic Indicators 9
Chapter 2: Explaining Economic Jargon 21
Chapter 3: Understanding the Big Picture: The Economy and Its Footprints 45
Part II: Making Money, Spending Money: Employment and Consumer Indicators 65
Chapter 4: Counting Jobs and Unemployment 67
Chapter 5: Survey Says: Considering Consumer Sentiment, Confi dence, and Comfort 93
Chapter 6: Spreading the Wealth: Consumer Spending and the Economy 113
Part III: The Essence of Business: Product and Service Indicators 133
Chapter 7: GDP: The Whole Enchilada 135
Chapter 8: Following the Fed 161
Chapter 9: Profi ling Manufacturing: New Orders and Shipments 185
Chapter 10: Grappling with Economic Indexes 201
Chapter 11: Spending on Housing and Residential Construction 213
Part IV: Inflation, Productivity, Interest Rates, and Commodities: Oh My! 239
Chapter 12: Determining Infl ation's Economic Impact 241
Chapter 13: Taking a Closer Look at Productivity and Economic Growth 261
Chapter 14: Eyeing Business and Municipal Borrowing in the Bond Market 273
Chapter 15: Harvesting Commodity Data 289
Part V: International Intrigue: Indicators beyond the United States 309
Chapter 16: Trading with the United States 311
Chapter 17: Following Economies Worldwide 325
Chapter 18: Monitoring Emerging Economies 345
Part VI: The Part of Tens 353
Chapter 19: Ten Ways to Track the U.S. Economy 355
Chapter 20: Ten (Or So) Money-Making Tips You Can Use with Economic Indicators 361
Glossary 367
Index 375