Forecast -50. Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. Effect: a higher present value of the forecast has positive effects on the currency. Level of a composite index based on the manufacturers surveyed in Richmond. A value greater than 0 indicates the improvement of conditions, below 0 indicates a worsening of conditions. The Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond manufacturing survey provides a practical set of indices for the monitoring of changes in production. It has been shown to be a valuable tool for regional economic analysis. The tests conducted so far indicate that the most important indicators, including employment, shipments and new orders are consistent with similar indicators from other surveys and production data available from government or industry sources.