> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://fred-mcp-server.amorelli.tech/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Economic Indicators

> Working with key economic indicators using FRED MCP Server

# Economic Indicators Examples

Learn how to retrieve and analyze key economic indicators using the FRED MCP Server.

## Labor Market Indicators

### Unemployment Rate

Retrieve the monthly unemployment rate:

```javascript theme={null}
// Using fred_get_series
{
  "series_id": "UNRATE",
  "observation_start": "2020-01-01",
  "observation_end": "2024-10-01"
}
```

**Response:**

```json theme={null}
{
  "series_id": "UNRATE",
  "title": "Unemployment Rate",
  "units": "Percent",
  "frequency": "Monthly",
  "seasonal_adjustment": "Seasonally Adjusted",
  "observations": [
    {
      "date": "2024-09-01",
      "value": "4.2"
    },
    {
      "date": "2024-08-01",
      "value": "4.3"
    }
  ]
}
```

### Labor Force Participation

Track workforce participation trends:

```javascript theme={null}
{
  "series_id": "CIVPART",
  "observation_start": "2015-01-01"
}
```

<Tip>
  Combine multiple series to understand labor market dynamics:

  * **UNRATE**: Unemployment rate
  * **CIVPART**: Labor force participation
  * **EMRATIO**: Employment-population ratio
  * **U6RATE**: Broader unemployment measure
</Tip>

### Nonfarm Payrolls

Monthly employment changes:

```javascript theme={null}
{
  "series_id": "PAYEMS",
  "observation_start": "2023-01-01",
  "units": "chg",  // Period-to-period change
  "frequency": "m"
}
```

## Inflation Indicators

### Consumer Price Index (CPI)

Track headline inflation:

```javascript theme={null}
{
  "series_id": "CPIAUCSL",
  "observation_start": "2020-01-01",
  "units": "pc1"  // Percent change from year ago
}
```

### Core Inflation

CPI excluding volatile food and energy:

```javascript theme={null}
{
  "series_id": "CPILFESL",
  "observation_start": "2020-01-01",
  "units": "pc1"
}
```

<CodeGroup>
  ```javascript Headline CPI theme={null}
  {
    "series_id": "CPIAUCSL",
    "units": "pc1"
  }
  ```

  ```javascript Core CPI theme={null}
  {
    "series_id": "CPILFESL",
    "units": "pc1"
  }
  ```

  ```javascript PCE Price Index theme={null}
  {
    "series_id": "PCEPI",
    "units": "pc1"
  }
  ```

  ```javascript Core PCE theme={null}
  {
    "series_id": "PCEPILFE",
    "units": "pc1"
  }
  ```
</CodeGroup>

### Producer Price Index

Wholesale price changes:

```javascript theme={null}
{
  "series_id": "PPIACO",
  "observation_start": "2020-01-01",
  "units": "pc1"
}
```

## GDP and Growth

### Real GDP

Inflation-adjusted economic output:

```javascript theme={null}
{
  "series_id": "GDPC1",
  "observation_start": "2015-Q1",
  "units": "pca"  // Percent change at annual rate
}
```

### Nominal GDP

Current dollar GDP:

```javascript theme={null}
{
  "series_id": "GDP",
  "observation_start": "2015-Q1",
  "frequency": "q"
}
```

### GDP Components

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Consumption">
    ```javascript theme={null}
    {
      "series_id": "PCEC",
      "observation_start": "2020-Q1"
    }
    ```
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Investment">
    ```javascript theme={null}
    {
      "series_id": "GPDI",
      "observation_start": "2020-Q1"
    }
    ```
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Government Spending">
    ```javascript theme={null}
    {
      "series_id": "GCE",
      "observation_start": "2020-Q1"
    }
    ```
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Net Exports">
    ```javascript theme={null}
    {
      "series_id": "NETEXP",
      "observation_start": "2020-Q1"
    }
    ```
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## Interest Rates

### Federal Funds Rate

The Fed's primary policy rate:

```javascript theme={null}
{
  "series_id": "DFF",
  "observation_start": "2020-01-01",
  "frequency": "d"
}
```

### Treasury Yields

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="2-Year Treasury" icon="clock">
    ```javascript theme={null}
    series_id: "DGS2"
    ```
  </Card>

  <Card title="10-Year Treasury" icon="clock">
    ```javascript theme={null}
    series_id: "DGS10"
    ```
  </Card>

  <Card title="30-Year Treasury" icon="clock">
    ```javascript theme={null}
    series_id: "DGS30"
    ```
  </Card>

  <Card title="Yield Curve Spread" icon="chart-area">
    ```javascript theme={null}
    series_id: "T10Y2Y"
    ```
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

### Mortgage Rates

30-year fixed mortgage rate:

```javascript theme={null}
{
  "series_id": "MORTGAGE30US",
  "observation_start": "2020-01-01",
  "frequency": "w"
}
```

## Financial Markets

### Stock Market Indices

```javascript theme={null}
// S&P 500
{
  "series_id": "SP500",
  "observation_start": "2023-01-01"
}

// Dow Jones Industrial Average
{
  "series_id": "DJIA",
  "observation_start": "2023-01-01"
}

// NASDAQ Composite
{
  "series_id": "NASDAQCOM",
  "observation_start": "2023-01-01"
}
```

### Exchange Rates

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Major Currencies">
    ```javascript theme={null}
    // Euro
    { "series_id": "DEXUSEU" }

    // British Pound
    { "series_id": "DEXUSUK" }

    // Japanese Yen
    { "series_id": "DEXJPUS" }

    // Swiss Franc
    { "series_id": "DEXSZUS" }
    ```
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Emerging Markets">
    ```javascript theme={null}
    // Chinese Yuan
    { "series_id": "DEXCHUS" }

    // Mexican Peso
    { "series_id": "DEXMXUS" }

    // Brazilian Real
    { "series_id": "DEXBZUS" }
    ```
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Trade-Weighted">
    ```javascript theme={null}
    // Broad Dollar Index
    { "series_id": "DTWEXBGS" }

    // Advanced Economies
    { "series_id": "DTWEXAFEGS" }

    // Emerging Markets
    { "series_id": "DTWEXEMEGS" }
    ```
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Production Indicators

### Industrial Production

```javascript theme={null}
{
  "series_id": "INDPRO",
  "observation_start": "2020-01-01",
  "units": "pc1"
}
```

### Manufacturing

```javascript theme={null}
// Manufacturing Output
{
  "series_id": "IPMAN",
  "observation_start": "2020-01-01"
}

// Capacity Utilization
{
  "series_id": "TCU",
  "observation_start": "2020-01-01"
}
```

### Housing

<Steps>
  <Step title="Housing Starts">
    ```javascript theme={null}
    { "series_id": "HOUST" }
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Building Permits">
    ```javascript theme={null}
    { "series_id": "PERMIT" }
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Existing Home Sales">
    ```javascript theme={null}
    { "series_id": "EXHOSLUSM495S" }
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Home Price Index">
    ```javascript theme={null}
    { "series_id": "CSUSHPISA" }
    ```
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Consumer Indicators

### Retail Sales

```javascript theme={null}
{
  "series_id": "RSXFS",
  "observation_start": "2020-01-01",
  "units": "pch"
}
```

### Consumer Confidence

```javascript theme={null}
// University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment
{
  "series_id": "UMCSENT",
  "observation_start": "2020-01-01"
}

// Conference Board Consumer Confidence
{
  "series_id": "CSCICP03USM665S",
  "observation_start": "2020-01-01"
}
```

### Personal Income and Spending

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Personal Income">
    ```javascript theme={null}
    {
      "series_id": "PI",
      "observation_start": "2020-01-01",
      "units": "pc1"
    }
    ```
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Personal Spending">
    ```javascript theme={null}
    {
      "series_id": "PCE",
      "observation_start": "2020-01-01",
      "units": "pc1"
    }
    ```
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Savings Rate">
    ```javascript theme={null}
    {
      "series_id": "PSAVERT",
      "observation_start": "2020-01-01"
    }
    ```
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## Money Supply

### Monetary Aggregates

```javascript theme={null}
// M1 Money Supply
{
  "series_id": "M1SL",
  "observation_start": "2020-01-01",
  "units": "pc1"
}

// M2 Money Supply
{
  "series_id": "M2SL",
  "observation_start": "2020-01-01",
  "units": "pc1"
}
```

## Searching for Indicators

Find indicators by topic:

```javascript theme={null}
// Search for inflation indicators
{
  "query": "inflation",
  "tags": ["monthly", "sa"],
  "limit": 20,
  "sort_by": "popularity"
}

// Search for employment
{
  "query": "employment",
  "tags": ["bls", "monthly"],
  "limit": 20
}
```

## Best Practices

<Warning>
  **Key considerations when working with indicators:**

  * **Frequency**: Match series frequencies for comparisons
  * **Seasonal Adjustment**: Use SA versions for trend analysis
  * **Units**: Verify units before calculations
  * **Revisions**: Economic data undergoes revisions
  * **Release Dates**: Check when data is typically updated
</Warning>

### Combining Multiple Indicators

```javascript theme={null}
// Create dashboard of key indicators
const dashboard = [
  { id: "UNRATE", name: "Unemployment" },
  { id: "CPIAUCSL", name: "CPI", transform: "pc1" },
  { id: "GDP", name: "GDP", transform: "pca" },
  { id: "DFF", name: "Fed Funds Rate" },
  { id: "SP500", name: "S&P 500" }
];

// Fetch all in date range
dashboard.forEach(indicator => {
  fred_get_series({
    series_id: indicator.id,
    observation_start: "2020-01-01",
    units: indicator.transform || "lin"
  });
});
```

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Time Series Analysis" icon="chart-line" href="/examples/time-series-analysis">
    Analyze trends and patterns
  </Card>

  <Card title="Data Transformations" icon="calculator" href="/examples/data-transformations">
    Transform data for analysis
  </Card>

  <Card title="Common Series" icon="bookmark" href="/resources/common-series">
    Popular indicator reference
  </Card>

  <Card title="API Reference" icon="book" href="/api-reference/overview">
    Tool documentation
  </Card>
</CardGroup>