Leading economic indicators are indicators that usually, but not always, change before the economy as a whole changes. They are therefore useful as short-term predictors of the economy. Leading indicators include the index of consumer expectations, building permits, and the money supply. The Conference Board publishes a composite Leading Economic Index consisting of ten indicators designed to predict activity in the U. S. economy six to nine months in the future.
Here are the components of the Conference Board’s Leading Economic Indicators Index:
- Average weekly hours (manufacturing)
- Average weekly initial jobless claims for unemployment insurance
- Manufacturers’ new orders for consumer goods/materials
- Vendor performance (slower deliveries diffusion index)
- Manufacturers’ new orders for non-defense capital goods
- Building permits
- Stock prices of 500 common stocks
- Money Supply (M2)
- Interest rate spread
- Index of consumer expectations
For those of you still reading, I should ask why, but I won’t.
So how does my blog fit into this?
Well, many of you are aware of the blog I wrote back in 2018 about the World’s Largest Tire Manufacturer (hint: it’s Lego). For whatever reason, that blog has been far and away my most popular blog, with over 77,000 views in nearly four years.
A couple of days stand out in particular:
- September 5, 2019, the post had over 5,000 views.
- May 13, 2020 – the past had over 10,000 views (thanks to Reddit)
Since that crazy day back on May 13, 2020, there have not been any significant views.
And you could argue that is when the effects of the pandemic really started to be felt in our economy, after a couple of months of lockdown. The tire past has had a steady number of views, but much lower than what it used to receive.
But that all changed a couple of days ago.
On Tuesday, my blog received over 1,100 views for the day, with more than 650 coming from the tire post.
Yesterday, my blog had over 1,300 views, with more than 880 of them from the tire post.
And so far today, my blog has more than 800 views, with more than half of them the result of the tire blog.
To put this in perspective, here’s what last week looked like for the same three days of the week:
Tuesday, March 1: 490 total views, 12 from the tire post
Wednesday, March 2: 490 total views (that’s very rare to have the same exact number two days in a row); 30 came from the tire post
Thursday, March 3: 444 total views, 50 from the tire post
As usual, I am not sure how to explain the big jump this week. I tried to look at where the views are coming from, but it just looks like they are coming from Google searches (no Reddit this time).
However, after seeing what has been going on the past few days, I have come up with a new theory.
My tire post may be a leading economic indicator.
The drop in views after May 2020 seemed to have been a harbinger of the problems our economy would be facing in the months ahead.
Thus, I am really hoping that the strong performance of the tire blog over the past few days is a sign that the economy will be seeing strong improvements as well in the near future.
There could be some logic to this.
People are starting to see business pick up, and that may be driving the demand for tires. This may lead people to search the web to see what the best tires are, and they somehow stumble onto my blog. Once they read my blog, they will also have a strong desire to buy Lego products, which would also boost the economy.
So Dear Members of The Conference Board, please consider adding a new leading indicator to your composite metric. And if for some reason you are fixated on only having 10 measures, then just get rid of M2.
Nobody really knows what it means, so you might as well drop it
But people understand Legos…
Source: Wikipedia
*image from Seeking Alpha
Ha! You’re probably right. You could look at the tags you used, too, but it’s due to who’s linked to your article.
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I wish whoever linked to my article would link to more of my posts…
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The way I see it, you got a lot of views on those posts before the pandemic. Therefore, the fact that you’re getting a lot of views on them again is a sign that we’re in store for another pandemic. Which, coincidentally, we are all tired of.
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that’s another way to interpret the data. I just hope we don’t have to deal with another pandemic. that would be wheely annoying…
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I never want to tread down that path again.
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we don’t need another flat economy…
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Although the inflation we’re currently experience could blow our economy up.
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we may need to figure out a way to let a little air out of our economy…
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Yeah, it’s under a lot of pressure.
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maybe a breathing cushion would help…
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Maybe people should hold off on purchasing new tires given that analysts are predicting up to 7 consecutive interest rate hikes by the Fed. https://fortune.com/2022/01/31/fed-7-interest-rate-hikes-fomc-powell-stocks
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wow; I hope they know what they are doing…
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Haha, of course they don’t.
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it’s all a guessing game…
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Can you imagine the conversation?
Mae looked seductively across the room at Phil. “What do you feel like doing tonight?”
“I don’t know. Anything good playing at the movies?” asked Phil.
Mae shook her head. “No, it’s all garbage.” He just can’t take a hint.
“How about some cards? We could play some cribbage.”
Mae sighed. “No, I don’t feel like it. Besides, I’m really in the mood for something else,” she said with a wink.
Suddenly, Phil saw the light. “I’ve got it. Let’s check out Borden’s tire post.”
Mae looked at Phil lovingly. “You know the way to a girl’s heart.”
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Mae and Phil must be living in Bizarro World 🙂
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Hahaha, Pete, you are so funny!
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agreed!
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Congratulations Jim, this adds nicely to your fame in adding Wordly to one entire street in the English Cotswolds, this household is now fixated on getting a 100 winning streak!
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it is an addicting game – good luck with your streak.
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Not in your league yet Jim, only +20 winning streak.
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you’re on your way!
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You are getting a lot of mileage out of those tires, my friend! Sometimes we are just not meant to understand why something happens. At those times, we are free to just sit back and enjoy the show. I wonder, if I reposted your post on my blog, if I could be the recipient of what we refer to now as the “Borden Bump”!
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maybe you can write a poem about Lego and tires… 🙂
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Don’t think, for a second, I haven’t considered that. Or maybe just repost your original and hold on while my stats soar!
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it’s all yours!
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legos and tires have always played an important role in my life, no reason for them not to have global importance, right along with your blog of course
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no wonder Legos were voted toy of the century!
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right!
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👍
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It’s very logical. I am willing to go with this explanation and consider your blog a major indicator. Also, I should start writing about tires.
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the blogging world does seem to be fascinated with tires! 🙂
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Sure, why not? You can be the Eleventh Leading Economic Indicator. If tires are what keeps the world rolling, good on you to have written about them.
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I just hope WordPress doesn’t get tired of my post…
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Those are some impressive stats for a single post.
I will not click on it so as not to further feed into that indicator…
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🙂
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Well whatever the Conference Board decides, let us know what your sight predicts.
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I’ll be sure to twist the facts to fit my hypothesis 🙂
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Let us hope Jim that your blog is the leading indicator of an improving economy. Do us a favour and keep posting amazing posts. 😆
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finers crossed! and thanks for the kind words…
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Who would have thought a tire blog would bring you fame! Maybe fortune too!
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I keep waiting for Lego to hire me as a spokesperson…
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I think they should! You would be great!!
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M2 is kind of important, but your blog is also pretty cool.
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I’ll take your word about M2 🙂
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There are some very cool charts on the internet which illustrate it.
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you gotta love the internet. can learn just about anything you want…
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I think you have a valid point. Cheers to the tire post and its continued upward trend. I for one like all your posts. 🙂
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thanks, Jennie!
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You’re welcome!
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👍
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I think it all stems from that Lego post. I mean, who hasn’t stepped on one sometime in their life? I mean really, how many people are that interested in tires?
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It may be the trick question nature of the post. But I do have to say at least two people have contacted me about wanting to do a tire deal for importing… 🙂
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