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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 22, 2024
00:00
SGD
Vesak Day
{previous}
{forecast}
{actual}
02:00
NZD
RBNZ Interest Rate Decision
{previous}
5.5%
{forecast}
{actual}
In New Zealand, interest rates decisions are taken by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand. The official interest rate is the Official Cash Rate (OCR). The OCR was introduced in March 1999 and is reviewed eight times a year by the Bank. The OCR influences the price of borrowing money in New Zealand and provides the Reserve Bank with a means of influencing the level of economic activity and inflation.
03:00
NZD
RBNZ Press Conference
{previous}
{forecast}
{actual}
In New Zealand, interest rates decisions are taken by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand. The official interest rate is the Official Cash Rate (OCR). The OCR was introduced in March 1999 and is reviewed eight times a year by the Bank. The OCR influences the price of borrowing money in New Zealand and provides the Reserve Bank with a means of influencing the level of economic activity and inflation.
03:35
JPY
40-Year JGB Auction
{previous}
1.905%
{forecast}
{actual}
06:00
GBP
Inflation Rate MoM
{previous}
{forecast}
{actual}
Inflation Rate MoM measures month over month change in the price of goods and services.
06:00
GBP
PPI Output YoY
{previous}
0.6%
{forecast}
{actual}
In the United Kingdom, the Producer Price Index (PPI) is a monthly survey that measures the price changes of goods bought and sold by manufacturers and provides an important measure of inflation. The factory gate price (the output price) is the price of goods sold by UK manufacturers. It includes costs such as labour, raw materials and energy, as well as interest on loans, site or building maintenance, or rent and excludes taxes.
.
06:00
GBP
PPI Input YoY
{previous}
-2.5%
{forecast}
{actual}
The input price measures the price of materials and fuels bought by UK manufacturers for processing. It includes materials and fuels that are both imported or sourced within the domestic market. It is not limited to materials used in the final product but includes what is required by businesses in their normal day-to-day running, such as fuels.
06:00
GBP
Core Inflation Rate YoY
{previous}
4.2%
{forecast}
{actual}
In the United Kingdom, the core inflation rate tracks changes in prices that consumers pay for a basket of goods which excludes some volatile price items.
06:00
GBP
Public Sector Net Borrowing Ex Banks
{previous}
£-11.9B
{forecast}
{actual}
In the UK, public sector net borrowing excluding public sector banks (PSNB ex) measures the gap between revenue raised (current receipts) and total spending. Total spending refers to current expenditure plus net investment (capital spending less capital receipts). Public sector net borrowing (PSNB) is often referred to by commentators as “the deficit”.
06:00
GBP
Retail Price Index YoY
{previous}
4.3%
{forecast}
{actual}
In the UK, the RPI index covers only private households but excludes the top 4% of households by income and pensioner households who receive at least three-quarters of their income from benefits. The index was initially developed as a compensation index, derived from an index designed as an aid to protect ordinary workers from price increases associated with the First World War. The RPI provides estimates of inflation from 1947 onwards with the first official release of consumer price inflation being produced in January 1956. Until the introduction of the UK CPI in 1996, the RPI and its derivatives were the only measures of UK consumer price inflation available to users.
06:00
GBP
PPI Input MoM
{previous}
-0.1%
{forecast}
{actual}
The input price measures the price of materials and fuels bought by UK manufacturers for processing. It includes materials and fuels that are both imported or sourced within the domestic market. It is not limited to materials used in the final product but includes what is required by businesses in their normal day-to-day running, such as fuels.
06:00
GBP
Retail Price Index MoM
{previous}
0.5%
{forecast}
{actual}
In the UK, the RPI index covers only private households but excludes the top 4% of households by income and pensioner households who receive at least three-quarters of their income from benefits. The index was initially developed as a compensation index, derived from an index designed as an aid to protect ordinary workers from price increases associated with the First World War. The RPI provides estimates of inflation from 1947 onwards with the first official release of consumer price inflation being produced in January 1956. Until the introduction of the UK CPI in 1996, the RPI and its derivatives were the only measures of UK consumer price inflation available to users.
06:00
GBP
PPI Output MoM
{previous}
0.2%
{forecast}
{actual}
In the United Kingdom, Producer Price Inflation MoM measures the month-over-month price changes of goods bought and sold by manufacturers and provides an important measure of inflation. The factory gate price (the output price) is the price of goods sold by UK manufacturers. It includes costs such as labour, raw materials and energy, as well as interest on loans, site or building maintenance, or rent and excludes taxes.
06:00
GBP
Inflation Rate YoY
{previous}
3.2%
{forecast}
{actual}
In United Kingdom, the most important categories in the Consumer Price Index are: Transport (14%), Housing & Utilities (14%), and Recreation & Culture (13%). Food & Non-alcoholic Beverages account for 12%, Restaurants & Hotels for 11%, Miscellaneous Goods & Services for 9%¸ Furnishings, Household Equipment & Routine Maintenance of the House for 8%, and Clothing & Footwear for 6%. Others include: Alcoholic Drinks, Tobacco & Narcotics (5%), Education (3%), Communication (3%) and Health (2%).
06:00
GBP
PPI Core Output MoM
{previous}
0.3%
{forecast}
{actual}
In the United Kingdom, the Core Producer Price Index is a monthly survey that measures the price changes of goods bought and sold by manufacturers excluding food, beverages, tobacco and petroleum products.
06:00
GBP
PPI Core Output YoY
{previous}
0.1%
{forecast}
{actual}
In the United Kingdom, the Core Producer Price Index is a monthly survey that measures the price changes of goods bought and sold by manufacturers excluding food, beverages, tobacco and petroleum products.
06:00
GBP
Core Inflation Rate MoM
{previous}
0.6%
{forecast}
{actual}
In the United Kingdom, the core inflation rate tracks changes in prices that consumers pay for a basket of goods which excludes some volatile price items.
06:00
GBP
Public Sector Net Borrowing
{previous}
£-11.02B
{forecast}
{actual}
In the UK, public sector net borrowing measures the change in the public sectors accruing net financial indebtedness. This represents the balance for the financial account: the difference between the net acquisition of financial assets and the net incurrence of liabilities. Public sector net borrowing (PSNB) is often referred to by commentators as “the deficit”.
07:00
EUR
ECB Non-Monetary Policy Meeting
{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.
08:00
ZAR
Core Inflation Rate MoM
{previous}
0.7%
{forecast}
{actual}
In South Africa, core consumer prices measure a broad rise or fall in prices that consumers pay for a standard basket of goods, excluding volatile items such as food and non-alcoholic beverages, fuel and energy.
