Macroeconomics

The natural rise and fall of economic activity over time, typically described in phases: expansion, peak, cont…

A monthly survey of how consumers feel about the economy and their personal finances. Leading indicator for co…

A measure of the average change in prices paid by consumers for a basket of goods and services. The headline U…

A general fall in the price level of goods and services. Less common than inflation; can signal weak demand or…

The price of one currency expressed in terms of another. Floating exchange rates fluctuate constantly based on…

The interest rate at which banks lend reserves to each other overnight. Set by the Federal Reserve and the pri…

Government use of taxation and spending to influence the economy — distinct from monetary policy, which is con…

The total monetary value of all goods and services produced within a country over a period. The most-cited mea…

The general rise in prices over time, reducing the purchasing power of money. Measured by indices like CPI.

When short-term interest rates exceed long-term rates. Historically a leading indicator of recession, though n…

The percentage of the working-age population either working or actively seeking work. Provides context for the…

Central-bank actions to manage money supply and interest rates to achieve goals like price stability and maxim…

Measures of the total amount of money in circulation. M1 includes cash and checking deposits; M2 adds savings,…

An economic concept describing the inverse relationship between inflation and unemployment — though the trade-…

A measure of price changes from the perspective of domestic producers selling their goods. An early indicator …

A theory comparing different countries' currencies using the cost of a common basket of goods, used to compare…

A monetary policy where a central bank buys large quantities of government bonds and other securities to injec…

The reverse of QE — the central bank reduces its balance sheet by letting bonds mature without reinvestment, r…

Nominal values are in current dollars; real values are inflation-adjusted. Real comparisons are more meaningfu…

A significant decline in economic activity lasting more than a few months, typically marked by falling GDP, em…

An economic scenario where a central bank slows growth enough to control inflation without triggering a recess…

A simultaneous combination of stagnant economic growth, high unemployment, and rising inflation — historically…

The difference between a country's exports and imports. A surplus means exports exceed imports; a deficit mean…

The percentage of the labour force actively seeking work but not employed. Reported monthly by the Bureau of L…

A line plotting interest rates of bonds with equal credit quality but different maturities. Normally upward-sl…