barometer Hear it!

barometer definition - finance
In the financial markets, an important economic statistic or stock index that indicates market direction or sentiment. Some of the more frequently cited barometers are the NASDAQ Composite Index, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the U.S. unemployment rate, the rate of inflation, and the consumer price index.

Webster's New World Finance and Investment Dictionary Copyright © 2003 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Comments
Improve this definition.
Do you have more to add? Share your linguistic knowledge or observation.
/Register to save your comments.