A–Z of economic indicators

CPI measures the change in the price of a basket of goods and services bought by households, and it is the headline gauge of inflation. Core CPI strips out food and energy to show the underlying trend. Because central banks set interest rates to control inflation, a CPI surprise moves currencies quickly and is one of the highest-impact releases on the calendar.

A monthly survey measure of changes in new orders received by US service-sector businesses.

A monthly U.S. services-sector purchasing managers' index from the Institute for Supply Management, watched as a timely signal of business activity, demand, employment and price pressures.

A monthly Richmond Fed survey measure of current service-sector activity in the Fifth Federal Reserve District.

A monthly survey indicator of business conditions in Sweden's service sector, published jointly by Swedbank and Silf.

A broad measure of price changes for goods and services produced in the United States.

Bahrain's Consumer Price Index measures changes in the prices paid by households for a basket of consumer goods and services. Its year-on-year change is commonly described as the inflation rate.

China NBS Non-Manufacturing PMI is a survey-based measure of activity in China’s services and construction sectors. Readings above 50 generally signal expansion, while readings below 50 signal contraction.

Croatia’s Consumer Price Index measures changes in the prices private households pay for goods and services. The year-on-year rate compares the latest month with the same month a year earlier.

This is a monthly Dallas Fed survey of service-sector businesses in Texas. It asks firms whether activity such as revenue, employment, prices and general business conditions improved, worsened or stayed the same from the prior month.

The Dallas Fed Services Revenues Index measures whether Texas service-sector firms report higher or lower revenue than in the previous month. It is a monthly regional survey of service businesses.

A quarterly national-accounts measure of price change across the goods and services included in GDP.

An early monthly survey of business conditions in Germany's service sector.

An early monthly indicator of business activity across Germany's manufacturing and services sectors.

Iceland's Consumer Price Index measures monthly changes in the prices households pay for a representative basket of goods and services.

A monthly survey indicator of employment conditions across U.S. service-sector businesses.

A monthly survey indicator of price changes paid by US service-sector businesses.

An annual measure of how consumer prices in Kazakhstan have changed from the same month a year earlier.

A monthly official survey indicator of business conditions across China’s services and construction sectors.

A monthly survey indicator of business conditions across the US service sector.

Ukraine’s month-over-month inflation rate shows the latest monthly change in the Consumer Price Index for goods and services bought by households.

The Consumer Price Index is a monthly measure of changes in the prices consumers pay for a broad basket of goods and services.

A year-over-year measure of underlying US producer-price inflation after selected volatile components are excluded.

An early monthly survey indicator of combined manufacturing and services activity in Japan.

An early monthly survey of business conditions in Japan's service sector.

The Consumer Price Index measures changes in the prices households pay for a basket of everyday goods and services.

Finland's headline measure of the annual change in prices paid by households for a representative basket of consumer goods and services.

A monthly METI index tracking output across Japan's service-sector industries.

The Richmond Fed Services Revenues Index tracks whether service-sector firms in the Fifth District report higher or lower revenues than in the previous month. It is a monthly survey-based measure of regional non-manufacturing activity.

The Seychelles Consumer Price Index tracks changes in the prices households pay for a basket of goods and services. Its year-on-year rate is a widely used measure of annual consumer inflation.