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...

List of contents

Introduction 1
 
Part 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

Product details

• Authors: Griffis, M Griffis, Michael Griffis, Griffis Michael
• Publisher: Wiley, John and Sons Ltd
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 14.10.2011
• EAN: 9781118037621
• ISBN: 978-1-118-03762-1
• No. of pages: 416
• Series: For Dummies; For Dummies
• Subjects: Guides > Law, job, finance > Money, bank, stock market; Social sciences, law, business > Business > Business administration; Personal finance, Private Finanzplanung, Finance & Investments, Finanz- u. Anlagewesen, Finance and the finance industry