Definition of "Economic indicators"

Measures looking at the past , current an future direction of the economy. They may have an impact on the real estate market. Each month government bodies, including the Federal reserve System, and several economic institutions publish economic indicators. These consist of the following general categories:

  1. Measures of general economic performance, including gross domestic product (GDP), personal income, capital expenditures, corporate earnings, and inventories.
  2. Price indices measure the inflation rate. The consumer Price Index (CPI), a well-known inflation measure, is used as the cost-of-living index, which is related to employment contracts and social security. The Producer Price Index (PPI) monitors raw materials and semi-finished goods and measure prices at the early stage of the distribution cycle. It reflects changes in the general price level, or the CPI, before they actually occur. The GDP Implicit Deflator is another index of inflation that is used to isolate price changes in GNP calculation from real changes in economic activity.
  3. Measures labor market conditions and signals conditions in employment such as the unemployment rate, average workweek in manufacturing, applications for initial jobless claims and hourly salary rates.
  4. Money and credit market indicators include the money supply, consumer credit, the Dow Jones industrial Average(DJIA) and the Treasury bill rate.
  5. Measures for major product markets that apply to segments of the economy such as housing, retail sales, steel, and automobile. Examples include housing starts, construction permits, auto sales, and retail sales.
  6. economic indicators show a home buyer or a real estate investor something about national and local economic conditions, Industry trends are also revealed. see also index of leading economic indicators; lagging indicators.

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Real Estate Terms

A Construction method of using twice the number of framing members to provide additional structural strength. ...

Item falling under Section 57 of the Internal Revenue Code that may result in the imposition of the alternative minimum tax (AMT). These items of otherwise exempt income or deductions or of ...

A closed-end mortgage is a mortgage in which the collateralized property cannot be used as security for another loan. See also open-end mortgage for a better understanding of the ...

Corporation whose stockholders are taxed as partners. That is, income is taxed as direct income to the shareholders. The key advantage of this tax treatment is that shareholders escape ...

A zero lot line is a term in residential real estate that refers to houses that are either very close to or at the edge of the property line. These houses are also called zero lot line ...

Want to know what Net Listing means? Well, Net Listings are a type of listing where the home seller sets a minimum price he/she is willing to sell the property for and whatever amount above ...

(1) Judgment against a defendant who does not respond to the plaintiffs lawsuit or fails to appear in court at the hearing or trial date. (2) Judgment issued by the court against the ...

Typically, the term rider defines a financial concept, implying a written modification applied to an insurance policy, altering its initial clauses and provisions. The rider can update the ...

Situation where a neighbor hood is gradually occupied by progressively lower income people. ...

Popular Real Estate Questions