Analyzing econometric data via interactive chart through the alignment of inflection points

1. A method of graphically analyzing econometric data on a graphical display comprising the steps of:

receiving at the graphical display a first selection of a first metric and a second selection of a second metric;

transmitting the first and second selections from the graphical display to an application server;

requesting from at least one metrics database:

a first econometric data series corresponding to the first metric, comprising i) a time domain having a plurality of time values, and ii) a value domain having econometric data values for each of the time values in the plurality of time values; and

a second econometric data series corresponding to the second metric, comprising i) a time domain having a plurality of time values, and ii) a value domain having econometric data values for each of the time values in the plurality of time values;

converting the first and second econometric data series into a common format with standardized scale and units;

transmitting the first and second econometric data series in the common format from the at least one metrics database to the application server

for display on the graphical display in a chart comprising:

the first econometric data series plotted on the chart in a first position;

the second econometric data series plotted on the chart; and

a time domain shifting control for transposing the time domain of the first econometric data series,

wherein the plotted first and second econometric data series each comprise a plurality of inflection points;

receiving a shift magnitude and a shift direction at the time domain shifting control displayed on the graphical display;

replotting the first econometric data series on the chart in a second position by transposing the time domain of the first econometric data series by the shift magnitude and shift direction; and

repeating the previous two steps until one or more inflection points of the plurality of inflection points of the replotted first econometric data series is aligned with one or more inflection points of the plurality of inflection points of the plotted second econometric data series;

identifying a leading macroeconomic metric using the aligned inflection points;

determining a time shift between the leading macroeconomic metric and an internal company metric; and

automatically generating a message to a user in real time regarding the leading macroeconomic metric upon publishing of an update for the leading macroeconomic metric when it meets a triggering parameter, so that the user has immediate access to up-to-date relevant macroeconomic metric information.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying the shift magnitude and the shift direction received at the time domain shifting control on the graphical display.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining whether lower and upper time domains are within outer boundary parameters, and if said time domains are outside outer boundary parameters, imposing a shift magnitude limit on the shift magnitude receivable at the time domain shifting control.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the chart includes a time domain that is one or more of a day, a month, a quarter, a fiscal year, a calendar year and a reporting period.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising a first econometric data series that is a macroeconomic or external econometric data series, and a second econometric data series which is an internal or company econometric data series or a microeconomic econometric data series.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising a first econometric data series which is one or more of GOP, durable goods orders, unemployment, stock market index price, energy price index, foreign trade ratio, domestic production, prime rate, LIBOR, interest on required balances, Fed Finance index, producer price index, or Consumer Price Index.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising a second econometric data series which is one or more of profit, cash on hand, EBITA, Cost of Goods Sold, gross margin, net margin, critical commodity price, average weekly hours worked, wholesale price, retail price, sales or inventory.

8. A method of graphically analyzing econometric data on a graphical display of a terminal comprising the steps of:

receiving at the graphical display a first selection of a first metric and a second selection of a second metric;

transmitting the first and second selections from the graphical display to an application server;

requesting from at least one metrics database:

a first econometric data series corresponding to the first metric, comprising i) a time domain having a plurality of time values, and ii) a value domain having econometric data values for each of the time values in the plurality of time values; and

a second econometric data series corresponding to the second metric, comprising i) a time domain having a plurality of time values, and ii) a value domain having econometric data values for each of the time values in the plurality of time values;

converting the first and second econometric data series into a common format with standardized scale and units;

transmitting the first and second econometric data series in the common format from the at least one metrics database to the application server;

deriving a first statistical data set from the first econometric data series and a second statistical data set from the second econometric data series, wherein the first and second statistical data set each comprise a statistical permutation of the first and second econometric data series, respectively, each comprising a time domain having a plurality of time values and a value domain having statistical econometric data values for each of the time values in the plurality of time values;

transmitting the first and second econometric data series and the first and second statistical data sets from the application server to the terminal;

displaying on the graphical display a chart comprising:

a first plotted econometric data series plotted on the chart in a first position, wherein the first plotted econometric data series comprises one of the first econometric data series and the first statistical data set;

a second plotted econometric data series plotted on the chart, wherein the second plotted econometric data series comprises one of the second econometric data series and the second statistical data set; and

a time domain shifting control for transposing the time domain of the first plotted econometric data series,

wherein the first and second plotted econometric data series each comprise a plurality of inflection points;

receiving a shift magnitude and a shift direction at the time domain shifting control displayed on the graphical display;

automatically replotting the first plotted econometric data series on the chart in a second position by transposing the time domain of the first plotted econometric data series by the shift magnitude and shift direction; and

repeating the previous two steps until one or more inflection points of the plurality of inflection points of the replotted first plotted econometric data series is aligned with one or more inflection points of the plurality of inflection points of the second plotted econometric data series;

identifying a leading macroeconomic metric using the aligned inflection points;

determining a time shift between the leading macroeconomic metric and an internal company metric; and

automatically generating a message to a user in real time regarding the leading macroeconomic metric upon publishing of an update for the leading macroeconomic metric when it meets a triggering parameter, so that the user has immediate access to up-to-date relevant macroeconomic metric information.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising displaying the shift magnitude and the shift direction received at the time domain shifting control on the graphical display.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising determining whether lower and upper time domains are within outer boundary parameters, and if said time domains are outside outer boundary parameters, imposing a shift magnitude limit on the shift magnitude receivable at the time domain shifting control.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the chart includes a time domain that is one or more of a day, a month, a quarter, a fiscal year, a calendar year and a reporting period.

12. The method of claim 8 further comprising a first econometric data series that is a macroeconomic or external econometric data series, and a second econometric data series which is an internal or company econometric data series or a microeconomic econometric data series.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising a first econometric data series which is one or more of GOP, durable goods orders, unemployment, stock market index price, energy price index, foreign trade ratio, domestic production, prime rate, LIBOR, interest on required balances, Fed Finance index, producer price index, or Consumer Price Index.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising a second econometric data series which is one or more of profit, cash on hand, EBITA, Cost of Goods Sold, gross margin, net margin, critical commodity price, average weekly hours worked, wholesale price, retail price, sales or inventory.

15. The method of claim 8 wherein the statistical permutation is selected from the group consisting of:

month-over-month percentage change;

year-over-year percentage change; and

three-month moving average.