Barometer

Filed Under » , ,
Dictionary Says

Definition of 'Barometer'

A compilation of market and economic data that represents a general or larger trend. Examples of economic forecasting barometers include consumer spending, housing starts and interest rates. Standard & Poor's 500 Index and the Dow Jones Industrial Average can be considered stock market barometers.
Investopedia Says

Investopedia explains 'Barometer'

Some economic barometers include the sale of certain pieces of clothing or certain types of food. An economic indicator for which direction the trend of consumer spending is going is the sale of items such as makeup, men's underwear, spam and the sale of vegetable seeds and transplants. For example, an increase in the sales of vegetable seeds, during a recession, indicates that people are more motivated to save so they will tend to grow vegetables instead of buying them.

Articles Of Interest

  1.

    Understanding The Case-Shiller Housing Index

    This index is a widely-used and respected barometer of the U.S. housing market and the broader economy.

  2. Benchmark Your Returns With Indexes

    If your portfolio is always falling short, you may not be making an apples-to-apples comparison.

  3. An Introduction To Stock Market Indexes

    Be in the know - learn about the five most talked about indexes and what makes them all different.

  4. How Stock Market Indexes Changed Investing

    Find out how the first market averages were calculated and what they mean for investors today.

  5. Why The Dow Matters

    Although the DJIA only includes 30 stocks, it can tell you a lot about the market as a whole.

  6. Economic Indicators To Know

    The economy has a large impact on the market. Learn how to interpret the most important reports.

  7. Ways To Gauge The Market Open Direction

    Accurately predicting the stock market’s opening moves can be a useful tool. If your projection is accurate, you have opportunity to profit. Of course, the first step is to correctly gauge the ...

  8. Why High-Income Earners Are Not Safe From The Threat Of Bankruptcy

    Few people have much sympathy for the woes of those earning six figure or more each year. But, given that high-income earners drive economic expansion, the risks and problems facing high earners ...

  9. Using Index Futures To Predict The Future

    Want to know whether the stock market will open up or down? Check out the index futures.

  10. Giants of Finance: Charles Dow

    Find out how this financial visionary helped everyday people enter the world of finance.
comments powered by Disqus
Marketplace
Hot Definitions

  1. Racketeering

    Racketeering refers to criminal activity that is performed to benefit an organization such as a crime syndicate. Examples of racketeering activity include...

  2. Lawful Money

    Any form of currency issued by the United States Treasury and not the Federal Reserve System, including gold and silver coins, Treasury notes, and Treasury bonds. Lawful money stands in contrast to fiat money, to which the government assigns value although it has no intrinsic value of its own and is not backed by reserves.

  3. Fast Market Rule

    A rule in the United Kingdom that permits market makers to trade outside quoted ranges, when an exchange determines that market movements are so sharp that quotes cannot be kept current.

  4. Absorption Rate

    The rate at which available homes are sold in a specific real estate market during a given time period.

  5. Yellow Sheets

    A United States bulletin that provides updated bid and ask prices as well as other information on over-the-counter (OTC) corporate bonds...

  6. Bailment

    The contractual transfer of possession of assets or property for a specific objective.
Trading Center