The Consumer Price Index (CPI) measures price increases in over 200 different categories of consumer products. When compared to a country's exports, this report can help establish if a country is profiting or losing money on its goods and services. However, keep a watch on exports — this is a popular topic among traders because export prices frequently change in connection to a currency's strength or weakness. Important indicators include the purchasing managers' index (PMI), producer price index (PPI), durable goods report, employment cost index (ECI), and housing starts. Not to mention the private research, the most well-known of which is the Michigan Consumer Confidence Survey. All of them, when used appropriately, have the potential to be a valuable resource for traders.