A few years ago I bought a book published by Wharton School Publishing entitled, “The Secrets of Economic Indicators,” subtitled, “Hidden Clues to Future Economic Trends and Investment Opportunities.” In it, economist Bernard Baumohl explains which indicators have the most influence over stocks, which have the greatest impact on bonds, and which indicators are most important to the movement of the U.S. dollar.
The book is written for the seasoned investor as well as the student of economics, as each will find significant benefit from its content. I should mention that the copy I have is the second edition which was published in 2008. Here are a few highlights from the book.
Economic Indicators and Stocks, Bonds, and the Dollar
Certain indicators have a greater influence on stock prices than others. There are also certain indicators to which bonds are the most sensitive. Finally, the U.S. dollar will react more to a different set of economic indicators. The following table contains the top 10 indicators for each, ranked in order of importance.