MacroLens

What MacroLens Shows You

MacroLens is your at-a-glance dashboard for key U.S. and global macroeconomic indicators — the numbers that move markets and influence economic decisions. The app presents each data point in a clean, consistent card layout, showing:

• Headline CPI (YoY) – Year-over-year change in the Consumer Price Index. Higher values mean inflation is rising; lower values suggest inflation is cooling.
• Unemployment Rate (U-3, SA) – Percentage of the labor force that is jobless and actively seeking work. Rising unemployment can signal economic weakness.
• US 10-Year Treasury Yield – A key benchmark interest rate watched by investors, policymakers, and economists. Changes are shown in basis points (~1/100th of a percent).
• S&P 500 Index – A broad measure of U.S. equity market performance, tracking 500 large-cap companies.
• EUR/USD Exchange Rate – Daily spot rate from the European Central Bank, showing how many U.S. dollars one euro buys.

Each card uses color-coded changes so you can quickly tell whether the latest movement is typically positive or negative for the economy or markets.

Where the Data Comes From

MacroLens pulls its data directly from trusted public sources via official APIs:

• CPI & Unemployment: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) via the FRED API.
• US 10-Year Treasury Yield: U.S. Department of the Treasury via the FRED API.
• S&P 500 Index: Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED).
• EUR/USD Exchange Rate: European Central Bank (ECB) daily reference rates.

Data is refreshed on page load and reflects the most recent available figures from each source. Any delays or revisions are due to the publishing schedule of the respective institutions.

How the AI Overview Works

At the top of the dashboard, you’ll see an AI-generated overview summarizing the latest macro data. This uses the system prompt + the real-time data context to create a concise, plain-English interpretation of current economic conditions.

If WebGPU is supported in your browser, the AI runs entirely in your browser using WebLLM, meaning your data never leaves your device for processing. If WebGPU isn’t available, MacroLens falls back to a basic rules-based interpretation of the numbers.

Chat About the Data

The chat feature lets you ask follow-up questions like:

• “Why might the 10-year yield drop even if inflation rises?”
• “If EUR/USD rises, what does that mean for U.S. importers?”

If WebLLM is active, the AI considers your question along with the latest macro data to give an informed, conversational answer. While accurate, responses should be taken as general information — not financial advice.

How MacroLens Was Built

This app was built with Next.js for the frontend, styled with Tailwind CSS, and deployed on Vercel. Data fetching is done with server components to pull the latest statistics directly from public APIs. Cards are styled for clarity, using semantic colors to help interpret changes at a glance.

The AI functionality is powered by @mlc-ai/web-llm running entirely in-browser when possible, with a fallback to a local rules-based system for quick, offline-compatible answers.

Disclaimer

All content is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as investment, financial, or economic advice. Always verify figures with the original data sources before making decisions.