
GDP and Inflation are probably the two most common macroeconomic factors that are known to impact stock markets. Inflation, in simple terms, is an increase in the price levels of goods and/or services or an increase in the supply of money. Inflation means prices of goods and services increasing.
Full Answer
What are the macroeconomic factors that affect the stock market?
GDP and Inflation are probably the two most common macroeconomic factors that are known to impact stock markets. Inflation, in simple terms, is an increase in the price levels of goods and/or services or an increase in the supply of money. Inflation means prices of goods and services increasing.
What determines stock prices in an efficient market?
In an efficient market, stock prices would be determined primarily by fundamentals, which, at the basic level, refer to a combination of two things: An owner of common stock has a claim on earnings, and earnings per share (EPS) is the owner's return on their investment.
How does inflation affect the stock market?
For more information of what stocks to buy in a market downturn see the article Strategies for a stock market downturn. Inflation affects the stock market as it impacts the level of consumer spending. When the cost of goods and services continue to rise then this means consumers have less money to spend on non-essential items.
How does GDP affect the stock market?
As you would expect, this measurement of a nation’s economic health has a huge effect on stock market returns. Any significant change in GDP- up or down- usually has a significant effect on the direction of the stock market. For example, when an economy is healthy and growing, it is expected that businesses will report better earnings and growth.

What factors increases stock price?
Here are some company-specific factors that can affect the share price:news releases on earnings and profits, and future estimated earnings.announcement of dividends.introduction of a new product or a product recall.securing a new large contract.employee layoffs.anticipated takeover or merger.a change of management.More items...•
How do macroeconomic factors affect stock prices?
Inflation GDP and Inflation are probably the two most common macroeconomic factors that are known to impact stock markets. Inflation, in simple terms, is an increase in the price levels of goods and/or services or an increase in the supply of money. Inflation means prices of goods and services increasing.
What are the 4 economic factors that affect stock prices?
Economic factors that influence the stock market:Interest rates.Inflation (and deflation)GDP.Unemployment.Trade wars.
What microeconomic factors affect the stock market?
Following are the various factors affecting the US Stock Market.Interest rates. The interest rates or Fed rates majorly impact the stock market in the US. ... Inflation. ... GDP. ... Unemployment. ... Trade wars. ... Industrial output. ... Other factors affecting the US stock market.
What is the biggest factor that affects the stock market?
Supply and demand There are so many factors that affect the market. But if you strip all that is on the outside and look at the most basic factor, it is simple: supply and demand. Like all commodities, an imbalance between supply and demand will raise and lower the price of stock.
What is Macroeconomics in stock market?
Common macroeconomic factors and their impact on stock markets. The most common macroeconomics factors are Gross Domestic Product (GDP), unemployment rate, inflation, interest rate, government debt, business cycles, etc. We can summarize the impact of these factors in the following table: Economic factors. Impact.
Does GDP affect stock market?
No, GDP does not measure the stock market. GDP measures personal consumption, business investment, government spending, and net exports.
How does inflation affect stock prices?
Effect of inflation on the stock market As inflation erodes the value of a dollar of earnings, it can make it difficult for the market to gauge the current value of the companies that make up market indexes. Further, higher prices for materials, inventory, and labor can impact earnings as companies adjust.
How the economy affects the stock market?
A rising stock market is usually aligned with a growing economy and leads to greater investor confidence. Investor confidence in stocks leads to more buying activity which can also help to push prices higher. When stocks rise, people invested in the equity markets gain wealth.
What are the major macro factors moving the markets these days?
Macro-economic factors such as interest rates, inflation, unemployment and economic growth often move stock markets. Stock markets are always rooting for more economic growth, because it usually means more profits for companies, and more profits tend to grow the value of stocks.
What are microeconomic factors?
Microeconomic factors such as supply and demand, taxes and regulations, and macroeconomic factors such as gross domestic product (GDP) growth, inflation, and interest rates, have a significant influence on different sectors of the economy and hence on your investment portfolio.
How does the economy affect stock market?
When the economy looks like it is growing then companies have the potential to expand and increase profits which can increase share prices . Consumer spending increases when the economy is strong as individuals feel more confident about their financial position. When the economy is slowing then companies will find it harder to expand and increase earnings. If consumers are also not very confident of the future they will choose to save instead of spending money on non-essential item.
How do interest rates affect stock market?
High interest rates negatively influence the stock market. Stocks usually sell off when there is any talk of a rate hike in the future. High interest rates restrict borrow borrowing capacity for business so this impedes their ability to grow the business. This stagnation in business growth can affect earnings growth and then stock prices. Rising interest rates also affects consumers as they may experience an increase in mortgage interest payments which can then restrict their purchasing power. This could create less demand for non-essential goods and services which then affect company earnings and stock prices. We have written up previously an article on The effect of interest rates on the stock market.
How do rising costs affect businesses?
Rising costs impact businesses and their profits as input prices are higher. They may pass this on to consumers or if they need to stay competitive then they need to absorb these costs which lowers corporate profits. Lower revenues and profits can then contribute to the falling share prices of the stock.
What is the biggest indicator of consumer spending?
Wages are the biggest indicator of consumer spending. When unemployment is high then consumer spending drops. Funds may be limited so consumers will spend less on discretionary items and allocate spending only to essential items. This may restrict the earning capacity of companies which then affects stock prices.
Why is it important to have a strong economy?
A strong economy also gives investors confidence in the equity market. When the economy is weak, investors look to protect their capital and move funds into safe haven such as bonds which do not generate returns as high but also do not produce losses as low as the equity market.
What does a weak exchange rate mean?
A weak exchange rate means exports are cheaper internationally. This is good news for companies who export products and services overseas as demand increases and earnings rise. A high exchange rate may mean cheaper imports, so this is good news for companies who use imported goods such as electronic retailers or manufacturing companies. However, a strong exchange rate may also cause some companies to struggle as the price of the goods and services become uncompetitive compared to other countries. For more depth on this subject, we have written an article called “The positive and negative effects of a strong aussie dollar”.
What are the two most common macroeconomic factors that impact stock market?
GDP and Inflation are probably the two most common macroeconomic factors that are known to impact stock markets. Inflation, in simple terms, is an increase in the price levels of goods and/or services or an increase in the supply of money. Inflation means prices of goods and services increasing. If the supply of money in ...
What happens when the economy drops?
Hence, when GDP drops, investors tend to stay away from the market or redeem their investments causing a corresponding drop in the stock markets.
How does GDP affect inflation?
The first step is to understand each one of them. Once you are clear about what these factors are, then you need to start understanding the correlation between them. Here are some pointers to help: 1 An increasing GDP boosts the market but can also cause a rise in inflation rates. An increasing rate of inflation pulls the markets down. So, what really happens when the GDP increases? The answer lies in a controlled increase in GDP. 2 Most economists believe that a GDP growth of around 2.5%-3.5% per year is healthy for the economy as its impact on inflation is minimal and the stock markets respond favourably. 3 An increase in GDP also leads to a drop in unemployment rates. 4 While this sounds ideal for any economy (growth coupled with decreasing unemployment rates), the problem starts arising when the unemployment rates fall too low. 5 If an economy is operating at near-full employment, then the price of goods and services tends to increase since the demand increases. Also, the unavailability of labor leads to an increase in wages and a subsequent rise in prices. All this has a negative impact on the inflation rates and usually leads to hyperinflation. Eventually, as people accept the fact that the value of money will deteriorate over time (due to hyperinflation), they tend to start spending more. This causes a rise in GDP and a negative feedback loop that harms the economy and the stock markets.
What are the factors that influence stock market?
Let’s look at some macroeconomic factors that influence stock markets in the US: 1. GDP or Gross Domestic Product. One of the biggest and all-encompassing macroeconomic factors is the gross domestic product or GDP of a country. Theoretically, GDP is the value of all the finished goods and services in a country during a specific period.
What is the measure of inflation?
In the US, inflation is measured using the Core CPI or Core Consumer Price Index. While CPI is the measure of changes in prices of all goods and services, Core CPI excludes food and energy-related products/services since they tend to have more price volatility than the others.
What drives the stock market?
The stock markets are driven by investor sentiment. But, what impacts the sentiments of investors? If most investors are feeling optimistic about the markets (in general) or a stock (in particular), then they would try to purchase it.
What does inflation mean in the US?
Inflation means prices of goods and services increasing. If the supply of money in the economy increases, people have more disposable funds at hand and buy more products/services eventually causing a rise in prices. In the US, inflation is measured using the Core CPI or Core Consumer Price Index.
What Is Macroeconomics?
Macroeconomics is a branch of economics that studies how an overall economy—the market or other systems that operate on a large scale—behaves. Macroeconomics attempts to measure how well an economy is performing, to understand what forces drive it, and to project how performance can improve. (Investopedia)
What Are Macroeconomic Factors?
Macroeconomic factors are elements of the macroeconomic view that affect the process across industries and sectors of a country. Now, for example, any change in the GDP output of a country, affects the monetary and fiscal policies of that country.
Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
Gross domestic product (GDP) is the total monetary or market value of all the finished goods and services produced within a country’s borders in a specific time period. (Investopedia)
Forex Reserves & FIIs
FILE PHOTO: Four thousand U.S. dollars are counted out by a banker counting currency at a bank in Westminster, Colorado November 3, 2009. REUTERS/Rick Wilking
Unemployment Rate
This one should be a no-brainer. If people are unemployed, will they be willing to spend on unnecessary items? Or even spend any money they must have left? No. Unemployment rate severely affects the economic health of a country.
Inflation
Inflation is a complex topic when we take into consideration the effect it has on economies. But in the most simple terms, Inflation is the rise in prices of goods and services.
Conclusion
This concludes our blog on How Macroeconomic Factors Affect The Stock Market? These factors were discussed on a microscopic or very basic scale. If you factor in 100s of different variables in the nation, it will pretty soon get really complicated.
What drives stock prices?
Stock prices are driven by a variety of factors, but ultimately the price at any given moment is due to the supply and demand at that point in time in the market. Fundamental factors drive stock prices based on a company's earnings and profitability from producing and selling goods and services. Technical factors relate to a stock's price history ...
Why is low inflation bad for stocks?
2 Deflation, on the other hand, is generally bad for stocks because it signifies a loss in pricing power for companies.
What is earnings base?
An earnings base, such as earnings per share (EPS) A valuation multiple, such as a P/E ratio. An owner of common stock has a claim on earnings, and earnings per share (EPS) is the owner's return on their investment. When you buy a stock, you are purchasing a proportional share of an entire future stream of earnings.
Why do you buy stock with a valuation multiple?
That's the reason for the valuation multiple: It is the price you are willing to pay for the future stream of earnings. 1:26.
Why do stocks move up?
Often a stock simply moves according to a short-term trend. On the one hand, a stock that is moving up can gather momentum, as "success breeds success" and popularity buoys the stock higher. On the other hand, a stock sometimes behaves the opposite way in a trend and does what is called reverting to the mean. Unfortunately, because trends cut both ways and are more obvious in hindsight, knowing that stocks are "trendy" does not help us predict the future.
Where are stock prices determined?
Stock prices are determined in the marketplace, where seller supply meets buyer demand. But have you ever wondered about what drives the stock market—that is, what factors affect a stock's price? Unfortunately, there is no clean equation that tells us exactly how a stock price will behave.
Do company stocks track with the market?
Company stocks tend to track with the market and with their sector or industry peers. Some prominent investment firms argue that the combination of overall market and sector movements—as opposed to a company's individual performance—determines a majority of a stock's movement.
What happens when the price level of a stock increases?
To be more specific, when the general price level rises, there is an immediate rise in the real value of financial assets and stock of wealth. And this stimulates aggregate expenditure—consumption spending of households and investment spending ...
What is the effect of a rise in the domestic price level on aggregate expenditure?
This means that a rise in the domestic price level will cause net expenditure on foreign goods to fall. 4.
What happens when the price of domestic goods increases in relation to prices of foreign goods?
When the price of domestic goods increases in relation to prices of foreign goods, export falls and import rises. This means that net export falls. The end result will be a fall in aggregate expenditure. The converse is also true. This is known as the international trade effect of a change in the domestic price level.
What is the wealth effect?
The Wealth Effect: Individuals and businesses hold money, bonds and other financial assets in their portfolio. In a world in which prices keep on changing the market value of these assets is one of the determinants of spending. It is a well known proposition of macro-economics that when the general price level rises, ...
How does net export affect domestic prices?
Net export is also likely to be affected by the domestic price level. If prices of domestically produced goods rise while prices of foreign goods as also the foreign exchange rate remain constant, domestic goods become more expensive relative to foreign goods.
When the general price level is halved, the household needs half the money to be able to buy the
When the general price level is halved, the household requires half the money to be able to buy the same fixed quantity of good because the purchasing power of each rupee has doubled . ADVERTISEMENTS: When prices rise, people need money more to be able to buy the same amount of goods and services.
When the general price level tends to fall, will people require less money?
When the general price level tends to fall, people will require less money (or real balance) to be able to purchase the same quantity of goods and services. ADVERTISEMENTS: The money saved in the process will now appear to be surplus. This money is no longer required to buy goods and services.
Why does price increase affect GDP?
An increase in price also makes people prefer to purchase foreign products since they are cheaper compared to local goods. This drives the market to demand more foreign currency, causing a weakening of the dollar and a reduction in exports , which drives the real GDP down further.
How to prepare for AP macroeconomics?
To prepare for the AP® Macroeconomics Exam, first, you need to be familiar with AP-level material, have a good understanding of the exam structure, and refer to multiple sources of information, as well as what has transpired on previous examinations.
What causes short run aggregate supply curves to shift?
Shifts in the short run aggregate supply curve are caused by changes in inflationary expectations; changes in worker force and capital stock availability; changes in government action (not the same as government expenditure); changes in productivity; and supply shocks. Fig4.1: Shifting Short Run Aggregate Supply.
What happens if local firms and households purchase more foreign goods than local ones?
First, if local firms and households purchase more foreign goods than local ones either due to better price or availability, net exports will fall, thus shifting aggregate demand to the left to AD 1. If the opposite happens, it shifts aggregate demand to the right to AD 2.
What is aggregate demand?
Aggregate demand is an economic measurement of the total sum of all final goods and services produced in an economy. It is expressed as the total amount of money paid in exchange for those goods and services and represents different output levels at various prices. It is expressed as the sum of all consumption (C), investments (I), ...
What is the effect of a reduction in taxes or an increase in transfer payments?
Here’s how: A reduction in taxes or an increase in transfer payments causes an increase in consumer wealth and investments, driving the real GDP up and in turn shifting aggregate demand rightward to AD 2. The same effect is felt when the government increases its spending on something like healthcare.
What causes the increase in real GDP?
Expectations. Expectations of higher inflation, higher future income, or greater profits will typically drive consumer spending and investments up. This causes an increase in the real GDP, which shifts aggregate demand to the right (AD 2 ).
Answer
In graph one the decline in the stock market asset price causes the AD line to shift downward, decreasing. The long-run equilibrium in the first graph is the point where all three of the lines (LRAS, S1, and D1) are connecting.
Answer
In graph one the aggregate demand curve shifts from D1 to D2 as government lowers taxes and household disposable income increases. It shifts outward to the right because there is an increase because the quantity of output demanded for a given price level rises. The shift represents an expansion.
Answer
A positive demand shock increases demand. Shown in graph one is the increase in the demand curve from SRAD1 to SRAD2 because of the positive demand shock. What an increase in demand does is cause more goods to be consumed at a higher price.
Answer
To refresh a positive demand shock increases demand. The positive demand shock is occurring in the graphs due to the increase in spending because of the natural disaster. In graph one the SRAD shifts from SRAD1 to SRAD2, which is a sign of the positive demand shock. It means that more consumer goods are being consumed than produced.
Answer
A negative demand shock decreases demand. A negative demand shock usually encounters less quantity of goods being consumed, and the consumers still within the market pay a lower price for the good. Usually during these times the economy wants to ignite the fire through decreasing taxation-giving people more money to spend.
Cite this page
Impact of Macroeconomics Variables on Stock Prices. (2016, May 19). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/impact-of-macroeconomics-variables-on-stock-prices-essay

Economic Growth
Unemployment
- Wages are the biggest indicator of consumer spending. When unemployment is high then consumer spending drops. Funds may be limited so consumers will spend less on discretionary items and allocate spending only to essential items. This may restrict the earning capacity of companies which then affects stock prices. Consumer staples and defensive sectors are usuall…
Inflation
- Inflation affects the stock market as it impacts the level of consumer spending. When the cost of goods and services continue to rise then this means consumers have less money to spend on non-essential items. Rising costs impact businesses and their profits as input prices are higher. They may pass this on to consumers or if they need to stay competitive then they need to absor…
Interest Rates
- High interest rates negatively influence the stock market. Stocks usually sell off when there is any talk of a rate hike in the future. High interest rates restrict borrow borrowing capacity for business so this impedes their ability to grow the business. This stagnation in business growth can affect earnings growth and then stock prices. Rising interest rates also affects consumers as they ma…
Exchange Rates
- A weak exchange rate means exports are cheaper internationally. This is good news for companies who export products and services overseas as demand increases and earnings rise. A high exchange rate may mean cheaper imports, so this is good news for companies who use imported goods such as electronic retailers or manufacturing companies. However, a strong exc…
GDP Or Gross Domestic Product
Inflation
- GDP and Inflation are probably the two most common macroeconomic factors that are known to impact stock markets. Inflation, in simple terms, is an increase in the price levels of goods and/or services or an increase in the supply of money. Inflation means prices of goods and services increasing. If the supply of money in the economy increases, peop...
Unemployment Rate
- In the US, the government regularly tracks and reports the unemployment rate in the country. It is an indicator of the strength of the economy. Further, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics releases a monthly job report that highlights the hiring rate in the country. Both these measures – the unemployment rate and hiring rate can help an investor understand the expected state of the ec…
Retail Sales
- We live in a consumer-driven world. In the US, the economy relies heavily on retail sales. In the US, the Bureau of Census compiles data pertaining to the sales of durable and non-durable goods and services every month and tracks consumer demand. This is vital in an economy like the US where nearly two-thirds of the GDP comes from consumer spending. Healthy retail sales usually elicit …
Industrial Output
- While most of us would like to believe that we don’t live in an industry-driven world, industrial output is still a major indicator of the strength of an economy in the US. The Federal Reserve releases a monthly economic indicator of the outputs in the manufacturing, mining, electric, and gas industries, called the Industrial Production Index or IPI. It also provides insights about the ca…
Fundamental Factors
Technical Factors
- Things would be easier if only fundamental factors set stock prices. Technical factors are the mix of external conditions that alter the supply of and demand for a company's stock. Some of these indirectly affect fundamentals. For example, economic growthindirectly contributes to earnings growth. Technical factors include the following.
News
- While it is hard to quantify the impact of news or unexpected developments inside a company, industry, or the global economy, you can't argue that it does influence investor sentiment. The political situation, negotiations between countries or companies, product breakthroughs, mergers and acquisitions, and other unforeseen events can impact stocks and the stock market. Since s…
Market Sentiment
- Market sentiment refers to the psychology of market participants, individually and collectively. This is perhaps the most vexing category. Market sentiment is often subjective, biased, and obstinate. For example, you can make a solid judgment about a stock's future growth prospects, and the future may even confirm your projections, but in the meantime, the market may myopica…
The Bottom Line
- Different types of investors depend on different factors. Short-term investors and traders tend to incorporate and may even prioritize technical factors. Long-term investors prioritize fundamentals and recognize that technical factors play an important role. Investors who believe strongly in fundamentals can reconcile themselves to technical forces with the following popular argument…