The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Housing Market Index (HMI) measures the demand outlook of single-family home builders. The index is derived from a survey that asks respondents to rate the level of current sales and sales expectations over the next six months as either ԧood,ԠԦairԠor ԰oor.ԠThe survey also asks builders to rate traffic of prospective buyers as either Ԩigh to very high,ԠԡverageԠor Ԭow to very low.ԠA reading above 50 indicates that builders have a positive demand outlook.

Measures the total value of output produced by factories, mines, and utilities. A rising trend has a positive effect on the nation's currency because high levels of production are a sign of a strong economy. Industrial Production reacts quickly to the ups and downs of the business cycle and can be a leading indicator of manufacturing employment, average earnings, and personal income.

Measures the percentage of available resources being utilized by factories, mines and utilities. A rising trend has a positive effect on the nation's currency because companies tend to raise their prices when nearing maximum capacity. This price increase (i.e., inflation) will eventually trickle down to the consumer, so capacity levels can act as a leading indicator of CPI and other consumer inflation gauges. Traders pay special attention to the Capacity Utilization Rate because it's one of the only inflation indicators that is produced directly by the Federal Reserve.

Treasury International Capital (TIC) Net Long-Term Transactions measures the monthly difference in cross-border foreign and domestic purchases of long-term securities (i.e., bonds with an original maturity longer than one year). For example, if foreigners purchased $100 billion in US securities, and the US purchased $30 billion in foreign securities, the net reading would be $70 billion. A rising trend has a positive effect on the nation's currency because foreigners must first convert their domestic currency before they can purchase the nation's assets. This can dramatically elevate currency demand. Traders watch this indicator closely as it provides several insights into international currency flows.

Measure the total value of shipments made by manufacturers.

Measures the quarterly difference in value between imported and exported goods, services, income flows, and unilateral transfers. A rising trend has a positive effect on the nation's currency. The Current Account is a comprehensive accounting of the nation's trade with other countries. It includes the previously reported Trade Balance (which covers trade of goods and services), so traders focus on the income flows and unilateral transfer portions of the report.

Measures the change in number of employed people during the previous month, excluding the farming industry. A rising trend has a positive effect on the nation\'s currency. Job creation is an important indicator of economic health because consumer spending, which is highly correlated with labor conditions, makes up a large portion of GDP.

Measures the value of sales at the retail level. A rising trend has a positive effect on the nation\'s currency because Retail Sales make up a large portion of consumer spending, which is a major driver of the economy and has a sizable impact on GDP. Traders pay close attention to Retail Sales because it is usually the first significant indicator of the month that relates to consumer behavior and is susceptible to surprises.