-
What is the economic calendar?
Economic calendar, also known as Forex economic calendar or FX Calendar, is a tool that allows traders to make the fundamental analysis of financial markets based on economic news. That is – you will be able to see macroeconomic events that move the market and make Forex trading decisions based on the data.
-
What data is included in the economic calendar?
The economic calendar includes information about major economic events, as well as political news and the impact they have on the Forex market. All these financial events are used as economic indicators.
The economic events calendar also shows the time and date of when the indicator data was released, the currency that they are expected to affect, and each indicator's impact level. Most indicators have numerical values, which may be expressed as a percentage or as a currency value. They reflect the impact the particular indicator had or is going to have, either positive or negative.
Our forex economic calendar has three columns to show the value of economic indicators: Previous, Forecast, and Actual:
- Previous shows the value the indicator had in the previous period (usually, one month or one year);
- Forecast shows the estimated value of the indicator based on a survey of 20-240 economists;
- Actual is the value published by an official source like a national statistics agency or an analytical center.
We also provide additional information about the specific indicators and the graphs showing changes in value by month or year – click the indicator you're interested in to learn more.
-
How to read the economic calendar?
Sometimes the number of current economic events can be overwhelming. So, first of all, make sure to use filters to see the most relevant indicators for your Forex trading. For example, you can choose currencies that you are planning on trading or the indicator impact.
At the top of our Forex trading calendar, choose the most convenient time zone.
Use numeric values of the indicators to navigate market changes. This is why forecasts and actual release figures are essential. Compare the numbers: if the Actual value is bigger than the forecast, this is good for the currency and it is likely to go up in price; if the Actual value is lower than the Forecast, it is likely to drop.
You can apply similar logic to the Previous and Forecast values before the actual data is released, but be careful – forecasts are always preliminary and actual figures might be drastically different.
-
What economic indicators are there?
Economic indicators are major economic events that are used to interpret investment opportunities in Forex trading. They usually are macroeconomic events that affect currencies and stock prices.
The indicators can be leading (predict upcoming changes), coincident (show the current economic state of the particular area) and lagging (confirm patterns and trends).
Top economic indicators:
- The US Treasury Yield Curve – shows the ratio between short-term Treasury bills and long-term Treasury bonds. This indicator successfully predicted eight major recessions of the past years.
- GDP (Gross Domestic Product) – one of the most critical metrics of the economy's health. It is a lagging indicator, so it shows what has already happened, but can be a great marker of an upcoming recession.
- Unemployment Rate – this is a percentage of people seeking jobs and will indicate how healthy the labor force and, thus, the economy really is.
- Interest Rates – another lagging indicator that shows economic growth. It can affect GDP and inflation, so be aware of this one.
These are some of the few important indicators. Make sure to follow our daily trading plans from FBS analysts to learn more about the current trading news events and how they will affect your Forex trading.
-
How to trade the news?
The financial events are typically scheduled ahead of time. There are usually predictions ahead of the release (Forecast column in our Forex news calendar) of how it will affect the market. Some traders choose to open positions depending on their expectations of economic indicator reports: if they expect a particular indicator to move the currency up, they buy it and vice versa. Other traders dislike rapid price movements that may happen when indicators are released, so they steer clear of using the FX calendar and trading the news.
There are many news trading strategies: you have to use the one you find best suited for your trading style. FBS, apart from providing all the necessary services for trading, also have all the vital information for any trader's needs. Check out our news section to be aware of possible market movements.
Even if you are not one to trade the news, you should still check the trading economic calendar or read about current economic events regularly because they are likely to affect market volatility.
-
Is the economic calendar updated in real-time?
Our major economic events calendar is updated automatically as the reports come out. FBS is there to offer timely updates to the economic calendar, but we cannot be held accountable for any delays due to the immoderate flow of trading news events.
Economic Calendar
List of important economic releases
Time
Impact
Currency
Event
Previous
Forecast
Actual
Apr 24, 2024
10:00
GBP
CBI Business Optimism Index
{previous}
-3
{forecast}
{actual}
In the United Kingdom, the Business Optimism Index is published by the Confederation of British Industry's in its Industrial Trends Survey. An average of 400 small, medium and large companies from the manufacturing sector is surveyed each quarter. The Questionnaire accesses the overall sentiment regarding general and export business situation, investment, capacity, order books, employment, output, stocks, prices competitiveness regarding domestic, EU and non-EU markets and innovation and training. For each assessment is computed a sub-index as the percentage of positive answers minus the percentage of negative answers. The composite index is then computed as the weighted average of the sub-indices. An Optimism Index of +100 indicates that all survey respondents are much more confident about future prospects, while -100 suggests that all survey respondents are much less confident about future prospects. An index level of 0 indicates neutrality.
11:00
BRL
FGV Consumer Confidence
{previous}
91.3
{forecast}
{actual}
IBRE/FGV's monthly Consumer Confidence Survey is designed to capture the sentiment of consumers about the general state of economy and their personal finances. Happy and optimistic consumers are likely to spend more; unhappy and pessimistic consumers spend less. Consumer confidence can thus operate to induce or reduce economic growth. Monitoring consumer sentiment can produce signals about future spending and saving that are useful for anticipating what will happen to the economy in the short run. The IBRE/FGV studies obtain, among other information, consumer assessments and forecasts about the local and family economic situation at the time and for the following months, employment prospects, and intentions and likelihood of buying high-value goods in the next six months. The Consumer Confidence Survey was started in 2002, and data are collected from over 2,000 informants in seven major state capitals: Belo Horizonte, Brasilia, Porto Alegre, Recife, Salvador, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo.
11:00
USD
MBA Purchase Index
{previous}
145.6
{forecast}
{actual}
11:00
USD
MBA Mortgage Applications
{previous}
3.3%
{forecast}
{actual}
In the US, the MBA Weekly Mortgage Application Survey is a comprehensive overview of the nationwide mortgage market and covers all types of mortgage originators, including commercial banks, thrift institutions and mortgage banking companies. The entire market is represented by the Market Index which covers all mortgage applications during the week, whether for a purchase or to refinance. The survey covers over 75% of all US retail residential mortgage applications.
11:00
USD
MBA Mortgage Market Index
{previous}
202.1
{forecast}
{actual}
The MBA Weekly Mortgage Application Survey is a comprehensive overview of the nationwide mortgage market and covers all types of mortgage originators, including commercial banks, thrift institutions and mortgage banking companies. The entire market is represented by the Market Index which covers all mortgage applications during the week. This includes all conventional and government applications, all fixed-rate mortgages (FRMs), all adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs), whether for a purchase or to refinance.
11:00
USD
MBA 30-Year Mortgage Rate
{previous}
7.13%
{forecast}
{actual}
MBA 30-Year Mortgage Rate is average 30-year fixed mortgage lending rate measured during the reported week and backed by the Mortgage Bankers Association.
11:00
USD
MBA Mortgage Refinance Index
{previous}
500.7
{forecast}
{actual}
The MBA Weekly Mortgage Application Survey is a comprehensive overview of the nationwide mortgage market and covers all types of mortgage originators, including commercial banks, thrift institutions and mortgage banking companies. The entire market is represented by the Market Index which covers all mortgage applications during the week. This includes all conventional and government applications, all fixed-rate mortgages (FRMs), all adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs), whether for a purchase or to refinance.
12:00
MXN
Mid-month Inflation Rate YoY
{previous}
4.48%
{forecast}
4.48%
{actual}
12:00
MXN
Mid-month Core Inflation Rate YoY
{previous}
4.69%
{forecast}
4.39%
{actual}
12:00
MXN
Mid-month Core Inflation Rate MoM
{previous}
0.33%
{forecast}
0.16%
{actual}
12:00
MXN
Mid-month Inflation Rate MoM
{previous}
0.27%
{forecast}
-0.03%
{actual}
12:30
USD
Durable Goods Orders ex Defense MoM
{previous}
2.2%
{forecast}
{actual}
Durable Goods Orders Excluding Defense refer to new orders placed with manufacturers for delivery of hard goods in the future excluding defense orders.
12:30
CAD
Retail Sales YoY
{previous}
0.9%
{forecast}
{actual}
In Canada, the year-over-year change in Retail sales compares the aggregated sales of retail goods and services during a certain month to the same month a year ago.
12:30
CAD
Retail Sales MoM
{previous}
-0.3%
{forecast}
0.1%
{actual}
In Canada, the Retail sales report provides an aggregated measure of sales of retail goods and services over a specific time period. In Canada, Retail sales are seasonal, volatile and relatively important to the overall economy.
12:30
USD
Durable Goods Orders MoM
{previous}
1.3%
{forecast}
2.5%
{actual}
Durable Goods Orders refer to new orders placed with manufacturers for delivery of hard goods which meant to last at least three years.
12:30
USD
Non Defense Goods Orders Ex Air
{previous}
0.7%
{forecast}
0.2%
{actual}
12:30
USD
Durable Goods Orders Ex Transp MoM
{previous}
0.5%
{forecast}
0.3%
{actual}
Durable Goods Orders Excluding Transportation refer to new orders placed with manufacturers for delivery of hard goods in the future excluding transportation orders.
12:30
CAD
Retail Sales Ex Autos MoM
{previous}
0.5%
{forecast}
0%
{actual}
Retail Sales Ex Autos report in Canada provides aggregated measure of sales of retail goods and services excluding the automobile sector over a period of a month.
12:30
CAD
Manufacturing Sales MoM Prel
{previous}
0.7%
{forecast}
{actual}
In Canada, Manufacturing Sales provides a current 'snapshot' of sales of goods manufactured values by the Canadian manufacturing sector, enabling analysis of the state of the Canadian economy, as well as the health of specific industries in the short- to medium-term.
13:15
EUR
ECB McCaul Speech
{previous}
{forecast}
{actual}
In the Euro Area, benchmark interest rate is set by the Governing Council of the European Central Bank. The primary objective of the ECB’s monetary policy is to maintain price stability which is to keep inflation below, but close to 2 percent over the medium term. In times of prolonged low inflation and low interest rates, ECB may also adopt non-standard monetary policy measures, such as asset purchase programmes. The official interest rate is the Main refinancing operations rate.
