Odd Indicators

The Friday File: Economists use many indicators to estimate economic activity. Here are some of the oddest. Times are bad when; there is a spike in the reselling of cemetery plots, when the number of NFL games that are not blacked-out rises (because games are not sold out), when advertisements for the Marines highlight toughness,…

Read More

Economy is Not Fun

The Institute of Supply Management’s Manufacturing Activity Index fell to 53.5 in May from 60.4. This shows the pace of manufacturing activity moderating since the index reached a 7 year high of 61.2 in March. Add to it a decline in Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index from 66 in April to a 6 month low…

Read More