The Big Mac index is an informal way of measuring the purchasing power parity (PPP) between two currencies and provides a test of the extent to which market exchange rates result in goods costing the same in different countries. As stated in the Economist, it "seeks to make exchange-rate theory more digestible"... [the] index was introduced by The Economist in September 1986 as a humorous illustration and has been published by that paper annually since then. The index also gave rise to the word burgernomics. ~ wikipedia
The Steakhouse Index
If steak stocks are down. Should we worry about the rest of the economy?
"If you want to understand how high energy prices are impacting the economy, you could spend your days reading the Wall Street Journal or consulting with economists. Or you could go have a really expensive New York strip steak at the Palm or Morton's."Read more at Slate
High-end steakhouses have expanded rapidly in recent years thanks to an economic expansion, the popularity of cholesterol-reducing statins such as Lipitor, and the low-carb/high-protein Atkins/South Beach diet crazes. You'll now find outposts of Morton's, Ruth's Chris, and several competitors in all the best suburban strip malls, edge-city shopping districts, and gentrified downtowns.
The financial results of these testosterone-filled cow palaces reveal much about several trends affecting the U.S. economy.
