Featured Pathways

More pathways

Banking Essentials - Part I

This pathway will walk us through the basics of banks, starting with some of the different types and their main functions, then starting to look at the regulation faced by the banks, both before and after the Global Financial Crisis.

Greenwashing

Greenwashing is the act of distributing false information about something being more environmentally friendly than it actually is.

More pathways

Book a demo

Pricing

Ready to get started?

Plans & Membership

Our Platform

Expert led content

+1,000 expert presented, on-demand video modules

Learning analytics

Keep track of learning progress with our comprehensive data

Interactive learning

Engage with our video hotspots and knowledge check-ins

Testing & certification

Gain CPD / CPE credits and professional certification

Managed learning

Build, scale and manage your organisation’s learning

Integrations

Connect Finance Unlocked to your current platform

Featured Content

More featured content

Tackling the Cost of Living Crisis

In this video, Max discusses the cost-of-living crisis currently enveloping the UK. He examines its impact on households as well as the overall economy.

CSR and Sustainability in Financial Services

In the first video of this two-part video series, Elisa introduces us to sustainability. She begins by looking at the difference between sustainability and corporate social responsibility, two terms that can be easily confused.

More featured content

Book a demo

Pricing

Ready to get started?

Featured Pathways

More pathways

Banking Essentials - Part I

This pathway will walk us through the basics of banks, starting with some of the different types and their main functions, then starting to look at the regulation faced by the banks, both before and after the Global Financial Crisis.

Greenwashing

Greenwashing is the act of distributing false information about something being more environmentally friendly than it actually is.

More pathways

Book a demo

Pricing

Ready to get started?

Plans & Membership

Our Platform

Expert led content

+1,000 expert presented, on-demand video modules

Learning analytics

Keep track of learning progress with our comprehensive data

Interactive learning

Engage with our video hotspots and knowledge check-ins

Testing & certification

Gain CPD / CPE credits and professional certification

Managed learning

Build, scale and manage your organisation’s learning

Integrations

Connect Finance Unlocked to your current platform

Featured Content

More featured content

Tackling the Cost of Living Crisis

In this video, Max discusses the cost-of-living crisis currently enveloping the UK. He examines its impact on households as well as the overall economy.

CSR and Sustainability in Financial Services

In the first video of this two-part video series, Elisa introduces us to sustainability. She begins by looking at the difference between sustainability and corporate social responsibility, two terms that can be easily confused.

More featured content

Book a demo

Pricing

Ready to get started?

Book a demo

Pricing

Ready to get started?

Introduction to Economic Indicators

Introduction to Economic Indicators

Trevor Williams

25 years: Macroeconomist in banking

In this video, Trevor shares his thoughts on some key economic indicators. He further analyses what each indicator tells us about the economy and how they all interact.

In this video, Trevor shares his thoughts on some key economic indicators. He further analyses what each indicator tells us about the economy and how they all interact.

Subscribe to watch

Access this and all of the content on our platform by signing up for a 7-day free trial.

Introduction to Economic Indicators

7 mins 56 secs

Overview

Economic indicators are the key to understanding the behaviour of financial markets. From bond investors, to equity investors to commodity traders, private equity, and hedge fund activities, their success is ultimately determined by how well the economy performs. The economy's ability to generate net value-added, or growth, from producing goods and services forms the lifeblood of financial market activity.

Key learning objectives:

  • Identify the indicators that impacts the economy

  • Outline GDP’s effect on corporates and markets

  • Understand the impact of monetary and fiscal policies on the economy

Subscribe to watch

Access this and all of the content on our platform by signing up for a 7-day free trial.

Summary
What are economic indicators?
Economic indicators are the key to understanding the behaviour of financial markets. Economic data released about the wider economy is endlessly analysed for clues about what happens next and what it means for the prices and value of the assets and investments that are the results of this economic activity.
From bond investors, to equity investors to commodity traders, private equity, and hedge fund activities, their success is ultimately determined by how well the economy performs. The economic data looked at by investors ranges from output, price inflation, wage inflation, the labour market, surveys or fiscal trends.
What does GDP growth, equity prices and corporate profits mean for a company?
Ultimately, growth of company profits at the aggregate levels cannot be greater than the rate of growth in the economy, in nominal terms, as a whole. But of more importance than simply looking at company balance sheets, is looking at what is happening in the economy for a guide as to how the company will perform in the future.
Why does GDP matter for financial markets?
The total net value added, produced by the economy over time can be measured in terms of the gross domestic product. GDP and corporate profits are linked. Faster growth in GDP provides the cash to drive company profits and dividends.
Growth and inflation are also linked. The faster the rate of growth of GDP, the higher the rate increases in inflation and wage inflation.
What is inflation?
Inflation is linked to bond markets as inflation erodes the real return from fixed income securities. Fast rising inflation means higher short term interest rates counter it. This may lead to a steeper yield curve, slowing the economy.
How does monetary policy impact the economy?
Higher interest rates slow down the economy because of the higher cost of borrowing to investors. Higher rates also raise the cost of borrowing to households and businesses.
Lower interest rates speed up the rate of the growth of the economy because they make it easier for firms and households to borrow and spend.
Why does fiscal policy matters for the economy?
Fiscal policy matters because too much government debt means that they borrow money and pay interest from funds that could be used by the private sector for profitable investment.
This ‘crowds out’ higher productivity activity by the private sector of the economy. High debt levels also drive up long interest term rates, imply higher future taxes and can cause inflation.

Subscribe to watch

Access this and all of the content on our platform by signing up for a 7-day free trial.

Trevor Williams

Trevor Williams

Trevor is a visiting professor at the University of Derby and an economic consultant. He is the author of several books and articles and is former Chief Economist of Lloyds Banking Group.

There are no available videos from "Trevor Williams"