Economic Indicators

Cardboard Box Index (1/21/2010)

The order for cardboard boxes is a reliable indicator of the business cycles.

Keywords: business cycles, cardboard boxes, recession

From Help Wanted to Job Wanted (1/22/2010)

The unemployment rate closely tracks the business cycle and reflects the vicissitudes of economic fortunes.

Keywords: boom, business cycle, bust, food stamps, jobs, Unemployment rate

Household Formation (8/12/2011)

Consumption in the economy is inversely affected by household size.

Keywords: multiplier effect, paradox of thrift, scale economy

Inflation Illusion (2/4/2010)

Price inflation creates strong illusion of monetary gains that hides the reality of more mundane performance.

Keywords: Avatar, box office, Dow, Gone with the Wind, inflation, movies, Star Wars, stock market, Titanic

Price Sentinel – CPI (1/22/2010)

The consumer price index measures aggregate price changes based on a standardized basket of goods and services. Changes in the index directly affect government benefits, wages, income taxes, and monetary and fiscal policies.

Keywords: bracket creep, COLA, consumer price index, cost of living, CPI, nominal dollar, price deflator, real dollar

Re-counting GDP (9/9/2013)

Some long-lived intangible assets will be counted as capital investment rather than one-time expenses in US GDP.

Keywords: consumption, depreciation, GDP, intangible assets, intellectual property, investment