Markets are driven by two factors: fear and greed The technical definition of a recession is two consecutive quarterly declines in growth, as reflected by GDP The ISM Manufacturing Index is a critical leading indicator of U.S. manufacturing activity and total GDP growth Chinese consumption of global commodities is high, and a weak China hints at weak global growth U.S. unemployment is an important indicator of the health of the U.S. job market, and a critical factor for setting Fed policy
