A finance expert has revealed that the state of the economy can be gleaned by assessing men’s underwear.

The unusual metric can be a key indicator of the economy’s health, according to Abby Hall, associate professor of economics at the University of Tampa.

‘Your boyfriend or your husband may not just be wearing holes in his boxers for fun,’ Hall explained to Scripps News.

‘It might actually be an indicator of overall economic health.’ 

This collection of data is called the Men’s Underwear Index.

Hall explained that the index suggests that the sales of men’s underwear often decline during times of financial uncertainty.

This is due to men hoping to stretch their money further – and rewear old underwear for a bit longer.

But the Men’s Underwear Index isn’t the only unique measure finance experts use to assess the state of the economy.

A finance expert has revealed that the state of the economy can be gleaned by assessing men’s underwear (stock image)

Another measure used is the Baked Beans Index which reflects how cheaper foods – like canned beans – are bought during tough economic moments.

‘In the case of a recession, say somebody’s lost their job or their income is declining, people might wind up buying more things like beans, which are relatively cheaper,’ Hall said.

A third measure known as the Lipstick Index follows luxury buying.

‘The reasoning behind this, economists hypothesize, is that people are going to be purchasing relatively smaller luxuries during economic downturns,’ Hall detailed.

Economist David McWilliams agreed that these measures provide a unique perspective on human behavior and the economy – even though they are somewhat unusual indicators.

‘All we’re doing is we’re studying this bizarre creature called a human being,’ McWilliams said. 

‘That’s what economics is all about.’

He added: ‘The more seriously we take it, the less likely we’ll understand the nuances of what’s going on because people are beautifully irrational.’

The unusual metric can be a key indicator of the economy’s health, according to Abby Hall, associate professor of economics at the University of Tampa (stock image)

Other distressing data also points to America heading towards a recession.

Now 25 percent of American adults are using ‘buy now, pay later’ services for grocery shopping, according to a disturbing new poll that suggests a recession is looming.

The figure is up sharply from the 14 percent of adults aged 18 to 79 asked the same question in 2024 and the 21 percent who admitted using credit for groceries in 2023.

A survey of 2,000 adults by loan company Lending Tree also discovered that 41 percent of people who used buy now, pay later for groceries had made a payment deadline – seven percent more than the year before.

The data, first reported by CNBC, in April 2025, points to impending economic doom as millions of ordinary Americans buckle under the weight of soaring grocery prices, with inflation still untamed.

Major supermarkets including Kroger, Shaw’s, Ralphs, and Whole Foods let customers pay using the most popular buy now, pay later service – Klarna.