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Economics

Under the direction of chief economist Bart van Ark, the Economics Department produces in-depth, objective and global research, analysis, forecasts, and indicators.

From the Chief Economist

Bart van Ark

The Global Inflationary Spurt May Leave Lasting Legacy
Inflation forecasts suggest that the recent spikes in energy, commodity and food prices may ease during this year. But prices and even the global inflation rate itself may remain significantly higher than before — with poorer individuals and poorer countries paying the price. ... more

Latest Forecast

The Economic Week

The big news of the week was that consumer expectations hit rock bottom. People are worried about jobs and incomes. They're worried about higher gasoline prices, grocery costs, even higher costs for doctor visits, prescriptions, and health insur...more

Economic Indicators

Economic Resources

U.S. Indicators	International
Consumer Confidence 7.7 pts U.S. Leading Index 0.1% Help-Wanted Advertising 1.0 pts Help-Wanted Online 3.8 million Employment Trends Index 0.5% CEO Confidence 1.0 pts	Australia 0.3% France 0.1% Germany 0.2% Japan 0.2% Korea 0.1% Mexico 2.3% Spain 0.1% U.K. 0.5% U.S. 0.1%
Monthly calendar

Total Economy Database
Annual GDP, population, employment, hours and productivity for 125 countries.

Business Cycle Indicators
The composite indexes are the key elements in an analytic system designed to signal changes in the business cycle.

Research Reports

Growing Beyond Oil: Productivity, Performance, and Progress in the Countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council
This report is part of a major research program on productivity, performance and progress in the Gulf Cooperation Council region which The Conference Board is running in conjunction with Gulf Investment Corporation (GIC).

Performance 2008: Productivity, Employment, and Growth in the World's Economies
This report is the first comprehensive overview of new data on productivity, growth, and employment trends through 2007 based on The Conference Board's and the Groningen Growth and Development Centre's Total Economy Database.

More Economic Research