BUSINESS CYCLE INDICATORS: Assorted economic statistics that provide valuable information about the expansions and contractions of business cycles. These statistics are grouped into three sets--lagging, coincident, and leading. Leading economic indicators tend to move up or down a few months BEFORE business-cycle expansions and contractions. Coincident economic indicators tend to reach their peaks and troughs AT THE SAME TIME as business cycles. Lagging economic indicators tend to rise or fall a few months AFTER business-cycle expansions and contractions. See also | leading economic indicators | coincident economic indicators | lagging economic indicators | business cycles | business cycle phases | potential real gross domestic product | full employment | expansion | contraction | peak | trough | investment business cycles | political business cycles | demand-driven business cycles | supply-driven business cycles |
