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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
May 02, 2024
12:30
USD
Continuing Jobless Claims
{previous}
1781K
{forecast}
1800K
{actual}
Continuing Jobless Claims refer to actual number of unemployed and currently receiving unemployment benefits who filed for unemployment benefits at least two weeks ago.
12:30
USD
Imports
{previous}
$331.9B
{forecast}
{actual}
The United States is the world's second-biggest importer. In 2022, the main imports were consumer goods (27 percent), capital goods (26 percent), and industrial supplies (25 percent) followed by automotive vehicles, parts and engines (12 percent), and foods, feeds and beverages (6 percent). Shipments from China represented 17 percent of the total imports followed by Mexico (14 percent), Canada (13 percent), Japan (4.5 percent), and Germany (4.5 percent).
12:30
ZAR
Total New Vehicle Sales
{previous}
44.235K
{forecast}
{actual}
In South Africa, total vehicle sales measure the total number of vehicles sold including buses and heavy vehicles in the reported month.
12:30
CAD
Balance of Trade
{previous}
C$1.39B
{forecast}
C$1.5B
{actual}
Between 1980 and 2008, Canada recorded a positive trade balance every year, with an expectation of 1991 and 1992. From 2009 onwards, the trade balance shifted to a deficit. In 2021, it switched again to a trade surplus, with energy products making the largest share of exports. The United States remains the country's biggest trading partner.
12:30
USD
Unit Labour Costs QoQ Prel
{previous}
0.4%
{forecast}
3.3%
{actual}
Labour Costs refers to the relationship between compensation per hour and labor productivity, or real output per hour, and can be used as an indicator of inflationary pressure on producers.
12:30
USD
Exports
{previous}
$263.0B
{forecast}
{actual}
The United States is the world's third biggest exporter, yet exports account only for 10 percent of GDP. In 2022, the main exports were industrial supplies (38 percent of the total), capital goods (29 percent), consumer goods (14 percent), automotive vehicles (8 percent), and food, feeds, and beverages (8 percent). Main export partners were Canada (18 percent of total exports), Mexico (16 percent), China (7 percent), Japan (4.5 percent), the United Kingdom (4 percent), and Germany (3.5 percent).
12:30
USD
Initial Jobless Claims
{previous}
207K
{forecast}
212K
{actual}
Initial jobless claims have a big impact in financial markets because unlike continued claims data which measures the number of persons claiming unemployment benefits, Initial jobless claims measures new and emerging unemployment.
12:30
USD
Jobless Claims 4-week Average
{previous}
213.25K
{forecast}
{actual}
12:30
CAD
Imports
{previous}
C$65.23B
{forecast}
{actual}
Canada imports mainly consumer goods (19% of total), cars and parts (23%), and energy products (7%). Canada's major import partners are the US (49 percent of total imports), China (14 percent), Mexico (5.5 percent), and Germany (3.1 percent).
13:00
SGD
SIPMM Manufacturing PMI
{previous}
50.7
{forecast}
{actual}
The Singapore PMI is a key barometer of a manufacturing sector in Singapore. A reading above 50 indicates that the factory activity is generally expanding and below 50 that the activity is generally declining.
13:00
BRL
S&P Global Manufacturing PMI
{previous}
53.6
{forecast}
{actual}
In Brazil, the Markit Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index measures the performance of the manufacturing sector and is derived from a survey of 400 industrial companies. The Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index is based on five individual indexes with the following weights: New Orders (30 percent), Output (25 percent), Employment (20 percent), Suppliers’ Delivery Times (15 percent) and Stock of Items Purchased (10 percent), with the Delivery Times index inverted so that it moves in a comparable direction. A reading above 50 indicates an expansion of the manufacturing sector compared to the previous month; below 50 represents a contraction; while 50 indicates no change.
14:00
USD
Total Vehicle Sales
{previous}
15.5M
{forecast}
{actual}
In the United States, Total Vehicle Sales measures the annualized number of new vehicles sold domestically in the reported month.
14:00
USD
Factory Orders MoM
{previous}
1.4%
{forecast}
1.6%
{actual}
Factory orders report is compiled from results of "Manufacturers’ Shipments, Inventories, and Orders (M3) survey" and shows the value of new factory orders for both durable (50% of total orders) and non-durable goods. The survey is usually released a week after durable goods orders report.
.
14:00
USD
Factory Orders ex Transportation
{previous}
1.1%
{forecast}
{actual}
Factory orders report is compiled from results of "Manufacturers’ Shipments, Inventories, and Orders (M3) survey" and shows the value of new factory orders for both durable (50% of total orders) and non-durable goods. The survey is usually released a week after durable goods orders report. Factory orders excluding transportation account for approximately 84 percent of total orders.
14:30
USD
NY Fed Treasury Purchases TIPS 1 to 7.5 yrs
{previous}
{forecast}
$30 million
{actual}
14:30
USD
EIA Natural Gas Stocks Change
{previous}
92Bcf
{forecast}
68Bcf
{actual}
Natural Gas Stocks Change refers to the weekly change of the natural gas supply situation.
15:00
MXN
S&P Global Manufacturing PMI
{previous}
52.2
{forecast}
{actual}
The Markit Mexico Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index measures the performance of the manufacturing sector and is derived from a survey of 400 manufacturing companies. The Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index is based on five individual indexes with the following weights: New Orders (30 percent), Output (25 percent), Employment (20 percent), Suppliers’ Delivery Times (15 percent) and Stock of Items Purchased (10 percent), with the Delivery Times index inverted so that it moves in a comparable direction. A reading above 50 indicates an expansion of the manufacturing sector compared to the previous month; below 50 represents a contraction; while 50 indicates no change.
15:30
USD
4-Week Bill Auction
{previous}
5.275%
{forecast}
{actual}
15:30
USD
8-Week Bill Auction
{previous}
5.275%
{forecast}
{actual}
16:00
CAD
2-Year Bond Auction
{previous}
4.244%
{forecast}
{actual}
