Five critical economic indicators for manufacturers

摘要

Manufacturers ought to monitor five key indicators to enhance their companies' growth strategies, says industry expert, Dr. Chris Kuehl, economic analyst for the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, International (FMA).rn1. Actions of the Federal Reserve. "Review all actions, not just its decisions about what the interest rate should be," says Kuehl. This includes the Fed's determination of member banks' reserve ratios, measurement of real money supply, and decisions made about bank access to capital.rn2. Employment trends. Study the distribution of jobs in terms of growth sectors, shrinking sectors, and demographics. "The unemployment rate tends to be a blunt instrument for measuring the economy, as it fails to provide information about who is getting work, and where," he says. "The information needed is deeper than that, as 95 percent of the eligible population is employed. What makes up the ineligible and where are they?"