Patterns about spending behavior were studied since the dawn of equities, and everything from underwear, to mini skirts, to superbowl were analyzed in terms of consumer behavior.  In particular watch were consumer thriftiness to over extravagance flashiness.

1.Mini skirt hemline indicator

n 1926, economist George Taylor noticed that fluctuating fashion. Like the stock market, the length of many women's dresses also fell with a peculiar synchronicity. Perhaps this hemline index, as Taylor coined it, reflected the grim economy's psychological effect on the public. It wasn't a time for rash celebration and risk taking; instead, the Great Depression called for a return to fiscal modesty.

For a while, Taylor's hemline index appeared to have the staying power of the little black dress. When the micro miniskirt fad of the 1960s rolled around, the market was up. Then, with the Arab oil embargo in 1973, long maxiskirts came into vogue as stock values slumped. In the 1980s, perhaps due to the hemline index's sexist overtones, men's neckties became the armchair economic harbinger of choice. Skinny ties foretold a bullish market, and wider ones signified the declining bear  – howstuffworks

2.Lipstick Indicator

One Depression-era pattern in female spending that hemline hawk George Taylor didn't take note of was the 25 percent increase in cosmetics sales  When a similar spike occurred during the economic doldrums of 1990 and 2001, this type of consumer behavior didn't elude Leonard Lauder, chairman of Estee Lauder Companies, which manufacture the cosmetic lines Estee Lauder, Clinique and MAC.

Lauder took particular interest in the rise in lipstick purchases. In the fall of 2001, when the economy buckled after the Sept. 11 attacks, Estee Lauder lipstick sales jumped 11 percent  That trend in discretionary (or nonessential) spending has become known as the lipstick indicator.

When women can't afford pricier indulgences, Lauder mused, lipstick offers a cheaper compromise. If a woman aches for a new Chanel handbag that far exceeds her budget, opting for a $30 tube of Rouge Allure lipstick in limited-edition Violet Diamond may feel like a thrifty shopping decision. Also, women who wear lipstick probably reapply at least a few times per day. Such instant gratification can ease the urge to shop more – howstuffworks

3. Underwear indicator

During a recession, underwear is among the first things that people stop buying—because hardly anybody actually sees them. This creates pent-up demand, and so when underwear sales level off and increase, it should signal an uptick in consumer demand.

According to the underwear indicator, an old favorite of Alan Greenspan, there needs to be a return to 2 to 3 percent annual growth in sales in order to claim a recovery.

However, consumer research group Mintel predicted underwear sales will see a continuing decline of 2.3 percent this year and no recovery until 2013.

But NPD's outlook for underwear sales offers more hope for the economy. After a year long, 12 percent decline through the end of January, men’s underwear sales leveled off in February and March, according to NPD.-cnbc

4. Boston Snow Indicator

This simple, one-for-one indicator suggests that a white Christmas in Boston means a rise for stocks the following year. The most common example is in 1995, when more than 11 inches of snow fell on Boston. In 1996, the S&P was up more than 20 percent, and the Dow increased more than 26 percent, so what’s the correlation?

In reality, there is no statistical correlation between Boston’s Christmas snowfall and positive performance in major market averages, which is why it is also called the “BS Indicator,” named by some NY Yankees fans on Wall St.

In the past 30 years, Boston has seen 9 White Christmases, according to the Farmer’s Almanac. In the years following, the S&P 500 was up 5 times (+14.99 on average), and down 4 times (-7.83 on average). It seems the Boston Snow Indicator may be more of a coin toss and less of a solid indicator.

5. superbowl indicator

The Stock Market Superbowl Indicator says that if the winner of the Superbowl is from the old National Football League, now the National Football Conference [NFC], in this case the New York Giants, then we will have a rising bullish stock market. If the winner is from the old American Football League, now the American Football Conference [AFC], New England Patriots, it indicaties an upcoming bear market. This indicator has reportedly been correct about 80% of the time. -financemanila.net

6. Billboard top 100 indicator

The newest indicator on this list is rooted in pop culture — it's got a good beat, and you can dance to it.

Phillip Maymin, assistant professor at the Polytechnic Institute of New York University, released a study in late 2008 that analyzes the connection between volatility in the market and trends in popular music.

Maymin analyzed the “beat variance” in songs from the Billboard Top 100 chart using sophisticated computer software, looking at songs from 1958 through 2007. He found that songs with high beat variance — individual tracks that shift tempo throughout the song — are preferred in times when market volatility is low. When volatility is high, people tend to prefer songs that have a more consistent beat.

Mayman suggests that high beat variance is more intellectually draining, and thus less popular during times of high volatility. His paper also analyzes trading volatility based on his findings, and the potential profitability of the indicator.

Can this trend be trusted? Maymann himself suggests that mood is the key driving force of this indicator, which has been known to affect markets. It certainly is the most scientifically approached indicator on this list…cnbc

7.Harvard MBA Indicator

10. Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Cover

The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue is a hot topic in the world of economic indicators.

First, there is an indicator based upon the nationality of the cover model. It suggests that when the cover model is from the United States, the S&P will show a return for the year above it’s historical rate. With a non-American cover model, the S&P 500 will underperform for the year.

From 1979 to 2008, the average return of the S&P 500 was 8.87 percent. When the cover model was American, the average annual return of the S&P 500 was 13.9 percent. With a non-American cover model, the average annual return for the S&P 500 was 7.2 percent.

Going against the theory, the best performing year for the S&P 500 was in 1995 (up 33.56 percent) when the cover model was Daniela Pestova, of the Czech Republic. The worst performing cover model was also a victim of the financial meltdown, American-born Marissa Miller saw the S&P plummet 38.49 percent during her cover year. This year’s cover: Bar Rafaeli, an Israeli citizen.

11.Pallet/Cardboard Box Indicator

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