In case you didn't know (as I didn't 'til I stumbled on it), the Wall Street Journal maintains a number of statistical reports that economists use to gauge and forecast business conditions. These reports, issued by government agencies and business research groups, generally are accessible there for one month. Their Economic Indicators Archive is accessible here. Among the reports:

• The Consumer Price Index
• The Employment Situation
• The Gross Domestic Product
• Initial Jobless Claims
• New Homes Sales

Good for what ails us.