The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word EASTING
I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
E
A
S
T
I
N
G
Buddy explains!

The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does EASTING mean?
EASTING noun- The distance east of a standard reference meridian.
- A distance traveled eastward.
- A turning towards the east.