Handbook of key economic indicators /

A very interesting and complete description of key economic indicators used in assessing the economy's performance, this book is organized into 14 chapters, containing analyses of 13 sets of economic indicators. Included among these variables are the employment report, retail sales, consumer price index, producer price index, industrial production, international trade, and gross domestic product. Each chapter begins with an elaboration of the nature of each indicator and is followed by details regarding its construction methodology and input variables. This discussion is highly useful since it provides a clear explanation of the constituent components of each indicator and any underlying assumptions regarding their calculation. Throughout the book, the author provides a practical discussion regarding how these indicators can be used to predict and interpret economic performance. Among such economic events examined by the author are the inflation rate, turns in the business cycle, interest rates, and the general level of stock prices. Additionally, each chapter contains a bibliography of relevant academic studies and popular books. The author's abundant use of graphs and tables facilitates an understanding of the uses of these indicator variables in assessing economic behavior. Overall, this book is a concise and highly readable overview of those economic variables critical in evaluating the macroeconomy. This book will allow the reader to meaningfully interpret macroeconomic data. Highly recommended for any library seeking to enhance its business and economic collections. S. P. Ferris; University of Missouri--Columbia

This handbook is geared to analysts and traders who need quick access to data relating to key U.S. economic indicators. It considers what indicators mean and how they are calculated, compiled, and reported to enhance informed financial decision making. Drawing from his many years of experience as an analyst and macro-economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, Rogers deals with such topics as employment, personal income, retail sales, new auto sales, the consumer price index, the producer price index, industrial production and capacity utilization rates, manufacturers' orders, business inventories and sales, the purchasing managers' index, monthly international trade, monthly construction indicators, gross domestic product, and the U.S. Commerce Department's index of leading indicators and other composite indexes. Methodologies behind the indicators are addressed, and suggestion regarding what to look for with each month's statistics appear throughout. Although this book is written primarily for market analysts and investors who desire to improve their expertise and ability to forecast trends in the U.S. economy, government and industry researchers, along with selected academics, also will find it useful. ~--Joseph Leonard

Rogers, an analyst and economist with the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, has written a much-needed guide to economic indicators. Rogers goes into great detail explaining the frequency of various indicators, the methodologies used, the weighting factors, and the formulas used for the calculations. The bases for many indicators have been revised recently, and many more will be revised in the coming years. Rogers provides comparative notes between the old and new indicators to help the researcher formulate a consistent series. Topics covered by the book include employment, personal income, retail sales, auto sales, the consumer price index and producer price index, industrial production, manufacturers orders, inventories, international trade, construction, gross domestic product, and forecasts and composite indexes. This book should serve as a companion to the Labor Department's Handbook of Methods, which outlines and explains the methodology used in labor statistics. Highly recommended for special, academic, and public libraries.-C. Christopher Pavek, Putnam, Hayes & Bartlett, Inc. Information Ctr., Washington, D.C. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.