Growth

Indicator definition:

Growth is measured as the annual per cent change in the value of the gross domestic product after taking account of inflation. Source: International Monetary Fund.

What you can learn from this indicator:

A positive growth rate means more of everything than before: more production, more demand for labor, and more wealth available for consumption, taxation and investment. A negative growth rate means the economy is shrinking. Jobs are more scarce and do not pay as well as in boom times.