Economic condition is a reflection of a government’s economic health; this can play a role in the political situation, level of engagement with allies, and satisfaction among members of the public. A variety of quantifiable metrics can be used in an assessment in order to create an objective evaluation. In addition, comments within a report may discuss more subjective measurements to provide context and information about how members of the public may be feeling and behaving. Governments regularly commission economic condition reports, some of which may be available to the public, and they are also published by third parties.
Employment rates can be part of a report, discussing the percentage of the population currently looking for work or out of work. This can include more detailed statistics on particular demographic groups to examine people by age, race, gender, and other factors. In addition, economic condition reporting can consider stock market performance, gross domestic product, exchange rates, and the status of treaties and trade agreements with other regions. Conditions in industrial settings can also be discussed.
On a national level, an economic condition report can be an extremely detailed and complex document. Individual reporting can also be conducted at smaller units of government. These separate evaluations provide more specific data about conditions in particular regions, like cities, counties, and states. They can be used to support activities like applying for grants, promoting businesses, and asking for assistance with specific costs, like disaster recovery.
Measuring economic condition can include calculations with a number of different metrics to yield a score. This information can also be viewed in the context of how optimistic people are about the economy, based on surveys. Projections about changes in the economic condition may be part of a report as well, because they can provide insight into when and how things may change. All of this information can paint a collective picture to allow people to determine what they can expect in coming months and years.
Historic reports may be available through government agencies. They can be consulted and used in data analysis for those with an interest in tracking change over time. Many of these databases are online and free to access for the benefit of researchers and other interested parties. Hard copies may be available by request, sometimes for a small fee to compensate for reproducing and mailing the information. Internal reports designed for use within agencies or companies may not be available to the general public, as they could contain confidential or proprietary information.