An economic calendar lists scheduled data releases and policy decisions. Big releases can bring sharp moves in currencies, gold and indices, so many traders check the calendar before planning their week.
The columns explained
- Time: when the figure is published — check it is shown in your own time zone.
- Importance: a rating of how much the release has tended to move markets.
- Actual: the figure once it is published.
- Forecast: the consensus of economists' expectations.
- Previous: the last reading, sometimes revised.
Why the surprise matters
Markets usually price in the forecast before a release. The reaction often depends on how far the actual figure is from the forecast, not on whether the number is “good” or “bad” on its own.
Releases traders follow closely
- US non-farm payrolls (NFP): monthly US jobs data.
- Consumer price index (CPI): inflation readings in the US and elsewhere.
- Central bank decisions: the Federal Reserve, ECB, Bank of England and Reserve Bank of India.
- GDP: quarterly economic growth figures.
Spreads can widen and prices can gap around major releases. Some traders reduce position sizes or stay flat; others avoid trading the first minutes entirely.
See this week's schedule on the economic calendar and the short notes our research team writes about key events.
This article is general information and education, not investment advice. CFDs are complex instruments and carry a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage.
