 This past week, as the Chinese leadership pledged economic reforms and promised additional stimulus to help revive softening growth in the worlds second-largest economy, a post in the English language Global Times quietly went viral. It cited a steady rise in sales of mens underwear in the northeast province of Liaoning as a sign that an economic rebound was underway in the province, which has lagged the rest of the country as it the former industrial powerhouse has transitioned to a more service-based economy. For the sake of context, we pointed out that the Mens Underwear Index is a legitimate economic indicator created by former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, who argued that, during economic downturns, men put off buying staples like underwear, opting to get more use out of their briefs before buying new pairs. But when the economy begins to rebound, sales of underwear rise as consumers start feeling more secure and ramp up their purchases of staples. According to the GT post, sales have been steadily climbing for three years. 