There are a number of rather dry economic indicators that astute traders pay attention to, some more carefully than others. Again, investors should be aware of them because they may affect the movement of the market when they are released.

Here are some of the indicators: Consumer confidence, consumer price index, consumer credit, employment cost index, employment report, existing home sales, gross domestic product, National Association of Purchasing Managers (NAPM), new home sales, producer price index, retail sales, and others.

The indicators that affect traders most heavily tend to be the following: Consumer price index (CPI), released about the 13th of each month at 8:30 A.M. EST; the Employment Report, released the first Friday of the month at 8:30 A.M. EST for the prior month; the report from the National Association of Purchasing Managers, released on the first business day of the month at 10 A.M. EST for the prior month; and Retail Sales, released around the 13th of the month at 8:30 A.M. EST for the previous month.

These four reports are most crucial to short-term traders because if there are any surprises that suggest a strengthening or weakening of the economy, the bond market reacts, which then affects the S&P futures trading, which affects the stock market.

Most casual investors have come to understand how important the meetings of the Federal Reserve Board are because of their effect on all the securities markets. Although usually of lesser impact than Fed decisions, these main economic indicators are still worth knowing and considering for the online investor. This is where having CNBC on in the background is very useful, as they are sure to be focusing on any timely economic data.

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