Introduction This paper will discuss in depth, the five indicators, and how Wal-Mart can and will impact the U.S. economy through them. Additionally, a final analysis will be made of recommendations and strategic initiatives for Wal-Mart. The indicators are: real gross domestic product (GDP), the unemployment rate, inflation rate, producer price index (PPI), personal income, and Federal Reserve actions. Colander (2004) defines indicators with: "...a set of signs that indicate when a recession is about …showed first 75 words of 3455 total…

…showed last 75 words of 3455 total…erfc.wa.gov/pubs/nov05pub.pdf. Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. (2005, December 8). The Livingston survey. <Tab/>Retrieved December 14, 2005, from http://www.phil.frb.org/files/liv/livdec05.pdf. U.S. Department of Labor. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2005, November). Producer price indexes - October 2005. Retrieved 08 December, 2005, from http://stats.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/ppi.pdf Congressional Budget Office, (2005) Inflation rate http://www.cbo.gov/showdoc.cfm?index=5773&sequence=6