15 leaders on the economic indicators companies should watch

If you’re only focused on a few economic metrics to run your business, you may miss what’s right in front of you that can help you course correct and drive growth. Some useful economic indicators don’t show up in financial news. Others get media coverage, but leaders may overlook them thinking “that doesn’t apply to us.” We asked members of the Fast Company Impact Council what economic indicators companies should pay more attention to. Fifteen of them weighed in with the data they think deserves more attention or a closer reading. 1. SPEED OF REGULATORY CHANGES I believe we should focus on the speed of regulatory changes rather than traditional charts and data. In fast-paced fields like artificial intelligence and data, rules change so quickly that companies often struggle to keep up. A business might look successful today, but one new regulation can completely change what it is allowed to do. Therefore, watching regulatory trends gives you a better view of your future than looking at quarterly financial reports. Companies that pay attention to these changes early stay ahead, while others are left striving to catch up. — Denas Grybauskas, Oxylabs 2. HEALTHCARE COSTS The fastest gr…