Why this 2,073-foot Chinese building could be an omen of economic doom

Copyright GenslerNothing marks the height of human achievement and economic prowess quite like a skyscraper.

The newly completed 2,083-foot tall Shanghai Tower is officially the second tallest building in the world, and the tallest in China.

And there are still taller planned skyscrapers, like China's Sky City and Saudi Arabia's Kingdom Tower.

But as "cool" as all of these buildings are, glitzy construction booms have historically coincided with the beginnings of economic downturns, according to Barclays' "Skyscraper Index." (For all you economics wonks out there, basically, skyscrapers can be considered a sentiment indicator.)

Using Barclays' index, we pulled together 10 skyscrapers whose constructions overlapped with financial crises.