Lovers of quixotic economic indicators suggest the hue on women’s fingertips can reveal the mindset of consumers. We researched what colors flew off shelves to see if we are headed for a fiscal cliff. What polish paints your portfolio?

Bright Red

Eduardo Anaya, Paint Nail Bar director of store operations, says hot reds and other bright colors have done well on shelves. But then, that’s also what was selling well right before the Great Depression. According to a 2013 article in Forbes, Revlon’s release of cherry polish predicted dark days in finance.

Pastels

Anaya notes that a growing number customers want pastels, like a soft orange Sunkissed adorning many a Sarasota pinky today. That might be a good sign, as it was in the Mod ‘60s when everything moved from bright to beige, or when ballet-slipper pink marked nails in the ‘80s.

Crimson

And beware the rise of dark red as well. When ladies start matching the deepest lipstick and polish, it might mark a spike in oil prices, as it did in 1973. Keep this polish to yourself, Anaya.

Going Swimmingly

What does Anaya see driving decisions the most? Right now, he says, most customers just want something waterproof to match their new swimsuits. That’s not on any index, but it may be a good time to buy stock in swimwear.