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bellwether Definition

bell·wether (bel′wet̸h′ər)

noun

  1. a male sheep, usually wearing a bell, that leads the flock
  2. a leader, esp. of a sheeplike crowd
  3. anything suggesting the general tendency or direction of events, style, etc.

Etymology: ME: see bell & wether

bellwether Finance Definition

A stock, index, bond, or other financial instrument that shows the direction of a market. Significant and widely owned stocks may become bellwethers of market direction. In the Treasury bond market, the 10-year note is a bellwether.

bellwether Usage Examples

Converse of object

prove: In the past, Professor Nickell has proved a bellwether for future action by the MPC.

Browse dictionary entries near bellwether

  1. ‹ bells and whistles
  2. ‹ bellows
  3. ‹ bellow
  4. ‹ Bellona
  5. ‹ Belloc
  6. ‹ bellmouthed
  7. ‹ bellman
  8. ‹ Bellini
  9. ‹ Bellingshausen Sea
  10. ‹ Bellingham
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