1.   For each category, an index is computed by adding the percentage of respondents indicating that activity will increase to half of the percentage indicating no change.

2.   Just as the CPI is tabulated every month excluding food and energy, perhaps the Christmas index should be computed excluding pear trees.

3.   Starting next month, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which computes the index, will use some of the freshest data it has ever collected.

4.   The index is computed by subtracting the percentage of managers who foresee worsening business conditions from the percentage who see conditions improving.

5.   The index is computed by subtracting the proportion of companies foreseeing a decline in business conditions from the percentage expecting conditions to improve.

6.   The index is computed using the temperature and relative humidity.

7.   The index is computed by subtracting the percentage of companies which foresee business conditions improving from the percentage which expect conditions to worsen.

8.   The index is computed by subtracting the percentage of managers who foresee worsening business conditions from the percentage who predict conditions will improve.

9.   The index is computed by subtracting the percentage of major manufacturers that foresee business conditions worsening from the percentage which see conditions improving.

10.   The index is computed by subtracting the percentage of manufacturers which foresee business conditions improving from the percentage who see conditions deteriorating.