Featured Data Additions: 2026

UMSCA → Summary Consumer Sentiment Indexes → The Index of Consumer Sentiment by Tercile of Stock Wealth

Indexes categorized by stock ownership were added to the UMSCA database, where the University of Michigan Survey of Consumers detail is housed. Indexes include consumer sentiment, current economic conditions, and consumer expectations. For each, series are available for the top third, middle third, and bottom third terciles of stock ownership, and also series for no stock holdings. Monthly data start in November 1998.

Chart: Plotted are the sums of each ownership category for the three indexes along with the S&P 500. The optimism spread between the largest stock owners and people with lesser portfolios is currently at one of its widest points dating back to 1998. In fact, optimism for the bottom three ownership categories are currently at all-time lows. Not so coincidentally, the S&P 500 is hitting all-time highs, indicating that rising stock markets benefit consumers with the largest stock portfolios but leave behind consumers with smaller portfolios.

GLSECTOR → Competitiveness Measures → Bellwether Company Statistics → Meta Platforms, Inc

Financial statistics for Meta Platforms Inc. were added to the GLSECTOR database. Meta is the conglomerate that owns Facebook, IG, WhatsApp and Threads and is also one of the main players in recent AI infrastructure investment. Available series include revenue, costs, income and capital expenditure. Quarterly data are sourced from Meta Platforms SEC filings and start in Q1 2012.

Chart: The race to build AI infrastructure has escalated into one of the largest capex surges in history, with tech giants (Meta, Oracle, Amazon, Alphabet, Microsoft) investing heavily to build and secure infrastructure for Generative AI. This massive spending is driven by the urgent need for data center capacity, advanced AI-optimized chips, and energy infrastructure to handle surging demand. As a whole, these 5 companies have spent almost $1.5 trillion since Q1 2021 and in Q1 2026, capex totaled $179 billion, an increase of 96% YoY.

EMERGEMA → Ghana → National Accounts → Monthly Indicator of Economic Growth (MIEG)

The Monthly Indicator of Economic Growth (MIEG) for Ghana was added to EMERGEMA. The MIEG is an economic statistic designed to provide early monthly signals on the direction of the economy ahead of the full quarterly GDP release. Indexes and YoY growth rates are available for the total economy and its three major sectors – agriculture, industry and services. Monthly data are sourced from the Ghana Statistical Service and start in January 2023.

Chart: The economy expanded by 7.5% in January 2026 compared to the 8.2% recorded in January 2025. The data also show that all three major sectors of the economy recorded positive growth, pointing to continued broad-based economic momentum. The services sector was the standout performer recording growth of 9.6%, followed by industry at 7.2% and agriculture at 4.5%. These results suggest that Q1 GDP is likely to record moderate but steady growth, supported mainly by the services sector.

CNTRADE → Motor Vehicle Exports

Motor vehicle exports detail for China was added to the CNTRADE database. These data, reported in number of vehicles, are available for 21 of China’s motor vehicle export markets. Monthly data are sourced from the China Passenger Car Association and start in April 2024.

Chart: China is currently the world’s largest exporter of motor vehicles. Exports have increased by multiple factors, from under 1 million in 2020 to around 8 million in 2025, essentially increasing 7-8 times over 5 years. In 2025, the top countries importing cars from China were Mexico, Russia, and the UAE, with Mexico importing over 539,000 units. US tariffs and other restrictions have forced Chinese automakers to pivot, driving a massive surge in vehicle exports to alternative markets in Europe, Latin America, SE Asia and the Middle East.

G10→ US or EA → Business Cycle Indicators and Surveys → Nowcast Recession Risk

Nowcasting recession risks for the US and the euro area were added to G10. The model combines a macroeconomic and a financial conditions indicator for each area. For the US, it uses the ISM Manufacturing PMI and the CISS. For the euro area, it uses the Economic Sentiment Indicator and the CISS. This approach delivers accurate, real-time nowcasts of recession risk. The monthly data sourced from Ferno & Giannoni are available on the first business day after the reference month closes and start in January 1980.

Chart: How accurate is this recession risk nowcast? The yellow columns are the official recessions declared by NBER that can take several months and up to a year to announce. The dark line is the recession risk nowcast probabilities. It spikes up almost 100% at the beginning of the official recessions – and just as important, it is accurate in timing the end of a recession – unlike the Sahm recession indicator, which tends to stay elevated after a recessionary period is over.

EMERGEAP → Fiji → Housing and Construction → Estimated Value of Work Put in Place

Value of construction put in place statistics for Fiji were added to EMERGEAP. Series reported in Fijian dollars are available for new buildings and capital repairs, current repairs and maintenance, and civil engineering works. Detail for private vs public is available for each. Quarterly data are sourced from the Fiji Bureau of Statistics and start in Q1 2005.

Chart: Total estimated value of work put in-place stood at $589.1 million for 2025, an increase of 0.8% ($4.5 million) when compared to 2024. Despite this increase, construction activity remains below its 2019 peak due to surging material costs (up 33% since 2019), a shortage of skilled labor (migration to AUS/NZ), a slow-building pipeline of new projects (canceled or delayed due to logistical/environmental shocks), and high government debt (projected to reach 80% of GDP this year) has limited Fiji’s ability to fund new public infrastructure projects.

EMERGEMA → Angola → Production → Oil and Gas Production

Oil and gas production statistics for Angola were added to EMERGEMA and ENERGY. Monthly production totals and daily flow rates are available with detail by the 17 oil fields in Angola for the flow rates. Data are sourced from ANPG and start in January 2020.

Chart: Crude oil is the cornerstone of Angola's economy, representing >90% of export revenues, ~75% of government income, and ~50% of its GDP. Production has been declining due to natural depletion of aging fields and lack of investment in new exploration, falling from roughly 2 mil bbl/day in 2010 to around 1 mil currently. This decline has caused severe economic strains, including high inflation, massive currency depreciation, and reduced economic growth, highlighting the urgent need for economic diversification, contrary to Angola’s current strategy to intensify efforts to discover new oil reserves.

EMERGEPR → Singapore → Employment and Earnings → Graduate Employment Survey

The Graduate Employment Survey for Singapore was added to EMERGEPR. This survey is conducted annually by the six Autonomous Universities in Singapore to collect information regarding the employment status of graduates 6 months after taking final exams. Employment rates by type of employment and by type of graduates are available in addition to median gross salary series. Data are sourced from the Ministry of Education and start in 2014.

Chart: Latest results show that 83.4% of graduates found employment within 6 months, down from 87.1% in 2024 – the fourth consecutive annual decline. 74.4% of graduates secured FT positions in 2025, down from 79.4% in 2024 – the third consecutive annual decline. Among those who found FT jobs, the median gross monthly salary remained at S$4,500, the first non-increase since 2016. These results may be due to a combination of cyclical economic caution and structural changes in the labor market, such as how entry-level jobs may be increasingly automated by AI.