The phrase
"excellent barometer" means something or someone that is very good at indicating or measuring changes or trends.
Full definition
Body language and facial expressions are
excellent barometers for picking up exactly how interested she is in having contact with you.
(You know, being greedy when others are fearful and fearful when others are greedy — demand for cash is
an excellent barometer for fear in financial markets.)
My DH insists he knows nothing about clothes, but he is
an excellent barometer of whether something is JFE or not.
Dear BookBrowsers, BookBrowse's annual Best of the Year awards are
an excellent barometer of great reading.
The Develop 100 was first published in 2005 and is the ultimate ranking of the top 100 games studios on the planet, and
an excellent barometer of industry trends and insight.
The depth of the forecasted recession will be measured in sublet space, which is
an excellent barometer of corporate health and profitability, and by extension the performance of commercial real estate markets.»
Events such as London Design Week, 13 - 18 March, and Decorex, 25 - 28 September, are
both excellent barometers of new directions.