The Philadelphia Federal Reserve's February index of business activity, an indicator of business conditions for manufacturers in the region, posted a surprise decline to -12.5, while a positive reading had been expected.
Manufacturing activity, a major indicator of economic vitality and recovery, peaked in February, and has eased significantly ever since.
China's official Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), a key indicator of activity in the sector, stood at 50.6 in December.
The rebound in manufacturing activity is a solid indicator for Fastenal going forward as that segment fell by 18.8% in fiscal 2009.
Though the euro zone's economy continued to shrink in January, it did so at a slower pace than in recent months, the Eurocoin indicator of activity indicated.
Imports, another crucial indicator of economic activity, were also down for the first two months of the second quarter.
The PMI is a key indicator of the activity in the sector and a reading above 50 shows expansion.
Yet GDP is not the most reliable indicator of economic activity in China.
Growth in the home remodeling industry is expected to clock double-digit gains in the first half of 2013, according to the Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity.
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Industry experts say a number of factors are contributing to the current environment for trucking, which is often seen as a leading indicator of economic activity.
Elsewhere, the housing market was buoyed in November by low mortgage rates, with housing starts rising 4.5%, but building permits, which are seen as an indicator of future activity, slipped 5.4%.
In fact, so closely are growth and emissions linked that one commentator, Forbes' Jeff McMahon, has a post up whose title suggests we could use emissions as an indicator of economic activity.
Another advantage of Form-4 is that it must be filed with the SEC within two business days which makes it as close to a real-time indicator on insider activity as one could hope for.
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Electricity production, the most reliable indicator of Chinese economic activity, was up only 2.7% over the same month last year.
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Applications for building permits, which are an indicator of future building activity, jumped 12% to an annual rate of 894, 000 in September.
Indeed over shorter periods of time, and under specific circumstances, short selling activity can be a very useful indicator of share performance.
Trucks are the most popular means of carrying goods and commodities and a decline in sales is a clear indicator of weaker economic activity.
Building permits applications are a significant indicator of future construction activity.
Released today, it shows design activity (which serves as an early indicator of new upcoming construction) at two year low.
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With consumer spending accounting for some 70% of all economic activity, experts pay special attention this indicator to gauge broader economic health.
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No wonder electricity usage--the best indicator of household spending and activity--is plummeting.
The committee generally also studies another monthly indicator of economy-wide activity, personal income less transfer payments, in real terms, adjusted for price changes.
The capsule-shaped device is made of black plastic, save for an LED ring that serves as a drive activity, internet connectivity and free-space indicator for the HDD that lies within.
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Scientists say that images from this region will provide a sensitive indicator of the onset of magnetic storm activity.
Examination of 75 patients showed that the activity of bcl-2 in a tumour was a strong indicator that a patient would respond well to a drug called tamoxifen.
Stocks moved lower to start the week following news that factory activity had grown more slowly in March, while a related indicator released on Wednesday pointed to a similar slowdown in the services sector.
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One indicator that I and others watch most time but especially so in times like these is insider activity, which refers to the buying and selling activities of stocks and securities by company insiders, such as key executives and board members.
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