These Key Economic Indicators Were Released Last Week

Global investors should monitor economic indicators to understand the condition of the global economy (ACWI) (VTI). Indicators are important because they shed light on a country’s economic health. They help investors identify short-term economic trends and changes in market sentiments.

Important global indicators released last week include the following:

• US ISM (Institute for Supply Management) manufacturing PMI (purchasing managers’ index)
• France (EWQ) manufacturing PMI
• Germany (EWG) manufacturing PMI
• Eurozone manufacturing PMI
• China (MCHI) (FXI) manufacturing PMI
• Japan (EWJ) manufacturing PMI
• Canada (EWC) manufacturing PMI
• India (INDA) manufacturing PMI
• US crude oil inventories
• US consumer confidence
• US (QQQ) (SPXL) non-farm payroll
• US ADP employment change

In this series, we’ll take a look at the global (VT) (ACWI) manufacturing PMIs for September 2016. The manufacturing PMI is an important indicator to gauge the business condition of an economy.

Monthly manufacturing PMI reports show manufacturing activity, output, new orders, export orders, and employment numbers. They help us assess the growth and trends in world manufacturing. Many policymakers use the manufacturing PMI report to make important policy decisions that could affect the economy at large.

In this series, we’ll also look at the US jobs report, which could be an important factor in the Federal Reserve’s decision whether to hike interest rates at its next meeting.