leading indicators

[ lee-ding ]

plural noun

, Economics.

1. data that reflect current economic conditions and can suggest future developments or fluctuations in the nation's economy: issued, usually monthly, by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis in the Commerce Department.

Example Sentences

Not one of our leading indicators was designed to carry the weight they now do.

From The Daily Beast

Stock markets are poor leading indicators, having only a weak connection with future changes in GDP.

From The Daily Beast

The leading indicators have leveled off; unemployment remains stubbornly high; and confidence is waning.

From The Daily Beast