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"Leading Indicator"

From Kimberly Amadeo,
Your Guide to US Economy.
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Definition: Leading indicator is a statistic that precedes an economic event. As such, it can be used to predict what will happen in the economy, and can be used to forecast a trend.
Also Known As: Predictor
Examples: Interest rates are usually leading indicators for the U.S. economy because when they decline, money becomes more available, and the economy improves.
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