Economic trends.

• Position: Statistical data

Economic Trends Many people are paying more attention to economic trends than they did before the credit meltdown. The GOFA's Long-Term Financial Planning blog provides frequent updates on important issues and topics of interest, including a Monthly summary of relevant statistics. Government Finance Review is reprinting an excerpt of those statistics to help GFOA members kept track of the overall economic picture. To access the Long-Term Financial Planning blog.go to ltfp.gfoa.org Inflation Indicator Result Source Trend/ Significance Consumer Price No change from Bureau of Over the last Index December to Labor 12 months, all January Statistics the index items increased 3 percent before seasonal adjustment Producer Price Declined 0.1% Bureau of Producer Price Index in December to Labor Index was up January, Statistics 4.8 percent in seasonally 2011 adjusted Confidence Indicator Result Source Trend/ Significance Consumer Stands at 61.1 Conference A reading above Confidence (1985 = 100), Board 90 would signal down from 64.8 a stabilized in December consumer Conference Lynn Franco, Director of the Conference Board Board Consumer Research Center, said: "Consumer Commentary Confidence retreated in January, after large back-to-back gains in the final two months of 2011. Consumers' assessment of current business and labor market conditions turned more downbeat and is back to November 2011 levels. Regarding the short-term outlook, consumers are more upbeat about employment, but less...