Why Investors Care
Investors need to monitor the economy closely because it usually dictates how various types of investments will perform. By tracking economic data such as the regional Fed surveys, investors will know what the economic backdrop is for the various markets. The stock market likes to see healthy economic growth because that translates to higher corporate profits. The bond market prefers more moderate growth so that it won't lead to inflation. These surveys give a detailed look at the manufacturing sector, how busy it is and where things are headed. Since manufacturing is a major sector of the economy, this report has a big influence on market behavior.

Frequency
Monthly

Source
Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.

Availability
Fourth Tuesday of each month.

Coverage
Data are for the same month as the release month. Data for June are released in June.

Revisions
No