Using Economic Indicators to Improve Investment Analysis (Frontiers in Finance Series)

An A–to–Z guide to economic indicators – what they are and what they really mean

Covering all major economic indicators, from GDP and personal income to government spending and employment cost index, this revised and expanded edition of Using Economic Indicators to Improve Investment Analysis explains what key economic measurements are, how to read and interpret them, and, most importantly, how to use them to make better, more informed financial, trading, and investing decisions.

"Evelina Tainer has created the ultimate guidebook for market watchers and investors. I never keep it more than an arm′s–length away. I also encourage my students to read the book, as it provides an invaluable link between economic theory and its application to the real world." –Maureen J. Maguire Senior Economist and Principal, NationsBanc Montgomery Securities LLC Lecturer, University of California Extension Program, University of California at Berkeley

"Using Economic Indicators to Improve Investment Analysis is a must for any journalist, investor, or student seeking to interpret macroeconomic data. Tainer anticipates basic questions and provides clear, thorough answers while explaining industry–specific jargon. The well–organized format makes her guide an easy–to–use reference tool." –Kristi Bahrenburg Reporter, Dow Jones Newswires

"Evelina Tainer has produced the definitive user–friendly guide to understanding and using what is arguably the most important body of information for investors in the United States. It is required reading for everyone at Market News Service. For those looking to make intelligent investment decisions, the information in this book is essential." –Michael J. Conner CEO, Market News Service, Inc.

Economic indicators are anything but "just numbers"– they are the keys to unlocking invaluable information about market behavior. Read and interpreted accurately, they can lead to successful trading, prudent policymaking, smart consumership, and profitable investing. Getting the most out of these important signs, however, requires a firm grasp of what they signify and what they really mean. Using Economic Indicators to Improve Investment Analysis –now revised and expanded –gives you the handle necessary to understand and effectively use a wide range of essential economic measurements.

Covering all the major indicators reported by private and government statistical agencies –including the consumer price index, the employment situation, retail sales, and housing starts –this comprehensive resource provides full descriptions of indicators and what they represent, their impact on the direction of interest rates, exchange rates, and the stock market, and the hows and whys of market reaction. Most importantly, the Second Edition offers practical guidelines for gearing your investment strategies to these ever–changing economic statistics.

Written in clear, nontechnical terms and clearly organized by sectors of the economy, this accessible guide:
∗ Takes a close look at GDP, with an overview of the macroeconomic framework using the standard national income accounting methodology
∗ Compares and contrasts consumer sector indicators to distinguish which series are more reliable and consistent
∗ Differentiates between all measures of inflation, and makes the key distinction between inflation in the goods market and inflation in the services market
∗ Explores foreign market indicators, including the monthly and quarterly indicators for the foreign exchange, domestic bond, and equity markets
∗ Features revealing "Did You Know?" tidbits, and cautionary "Watch Out" sections that highlight common and uncommon quirks, as well as special factors unique to specific indicators
∗ Contains new material on the Federal Reserve–how it works and its policymaking system

Cutting through the ambiguity that often surrounds coverage of economic indicators in the business sections and the financial press, this is essential reading for anyone looking to make sense of vital economic figures.

EVELINA M. TAINER is Chief Economist at Econoday, a California–based firm that specializes in providing economic information to corporate and individual investment clients. Previously Chief Economist at Carr Futures and President of Simply Economics, she has taught economics and finance at the University of Illinois, Northwestern University, and other Chicago–area universities.