- Trade Balance = Exports - Imports [Balance of Payments]
- Current Account Balance = Trade Balance - Net Income from Abroad - Net Current Transfers [Balance of Payments]
- GDP Per Capita [Real Economy]
- GDP Growth Rate [Economic Growth]
- Purchasing Power Parity - e.g. Big Mac Index -
- Government Budget Balance / GDP [Public Budget Figure]
Some unusual but good indicators:
- Lipstick Index: When finances are tight, consumers will forego large luxury purchases for smaller indulgences, like cosmetics.
- Men's Underwear: If cosmetics are the small luxuries of tough times, men's underwear is the opposite: a basic necessity whose purchase can be pushed into the future until more disposable funds are available. Rarely seen, rarely replaced.
- Divorce Rates: Financial problems strain a marriage, and make it more likely to break apart.
- Baby Diaper Rash Indicator: In a hope to save money, parents with newborns, babies, and toddlers try to cut back on costs by changing their child’s diaper fewer times throughout the day.
