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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
Apr 26, 2024
12:00
BRL
IPCA mid-month CPI YoY
{previous}
4.14%
{forecast}
3.86%
{actual}
12:00
RUB
CBR Press Conference
{previous}
{forecast}
{actual}
In Russia, interest rate decisions are taken by the Central Bank of the Russian Federation. From September 16th of 2013, the official interest rate is the one-week auction repo rate. Until September 15th of 2013, the official interest rate was the refinancing rate, which was seen as a ceiling for borrowing money and a benchmark for calculating tax payments.
12:00
MXN
Balance of Trade
{previous}
$-0.585B
{forecast}
$0.7B
{actual}
Mexico's main exports are manufactured products (88 percent of total shipments) , followed by oil and oil products (7 percent), the agricultural sector with (4 percent). Main imports are: metallic products, machinery and equipment (59 percent of total purchases), oil products (12 percent) and agricultural goods (3 percent). The country's top trading partner is the United States (72 percent of total exports and 38 percent of total imports). Others include: China, Japan and Germany. In 2022, trade between Mexico and the United States reached USD 738 billion, with Mexico posting a surplus of near USD 208 billion.
12:00
MXN
Unemployment Rate
{previous}
2.5%
{forecast}
2.4%
{actual}
In Mexico, the unemployment rate measures the number of people actively looking for a job as a percentage of the labour force.
12:00
BRL
IPCA mid-month CPI MoM
{previous}
0.36%
{forecast}
0.29%
{actual}
12:30
CAD
Wholesale Sales MoM Prel
{previous}
0%
{forecast}
{actual}
The Monthly Wholesale Trade Survey presents estimates of monthly sales for wholesale merchants in Canada, providing information on the performance of the wholesale trade sector as an important indicator of the health of the Canadian economy. In addition, the business community uses the data to analyse market performance.
12:30
USD
Personal Spending MoM
{previous}
0.8%
{forecast}
0.6%
{actual}
Personal consumption expenditures (PCE) is the primary measure of consumer spending on goods and services in the U.S. economy. 1 It accounts for about two-thirds of domestic final spending, and thus it is the primary engine that drives future economic growth. PCE shows how much of the income earned by households is being spent on current consumption as opposed to how much is being saved for future consumption. PCE also provides a comprehensive measure of types of goods and services that are purchased by households. Thus, for example, it shows the portion of spending that is accounted for by discretionary items, such as motor vehicles, or the adjustments that consumers make to changes in prices, such as a sharp run-up in gasoline prices.
12:30
USD
PCE Price Index YoY
{previous}
2.5%
{forecast}
2.6%
{actual}
In the United States, the Personal Consumption Expenditure Price Index provides a measure of the prices paid for domestic purchases of goods and services. While the Consumer Price Index assumes a fixed basket of goods and uses expenditure weights that do not change over time for several years, the Personal Consumption Expenditure Price Index uses a chain index and resorts on expenditure data from the current period and the preceding period (known as Fisher Price Index).
12:30
USD
Core PCE Price Index MoM
{previous}
0.3%
{forecast}
0.3%
{actual}
12:30
USD
PCE Price Index MoM
{previous}
0.3%
{forecast}
0.3%
{actual}
In the United States, the Personal Consumption Expenditure Price Index provides a measure of the prices paid for domestic purchases of goods and services. While the Consumer Price Index assumes a fixed basket of goods and uses expenditure weights that do not change over time for several years, the Personal Consumption Expenditure Price Index uses a chain index and resorts on expenditure data from the current period and the preceding period (known as Fisher Price Index).
12:30
USD
Personal Income MoM
{previous}
0.3%
{forecast}
0.5%
{actual}
Personal Income refers to the income that persons receive in return for their provision of labor, land, and capital used in current production, plus current transfer receipts less contributions for government social insurance.
12:30
USD
Core PCE Price Index YoY
{previous}
2.8%
{forecast}
2.7%
{actual}
In the United States, the Core Personal Consumption Expenditure Price Index provides a measure of the prices paid by people for domestic purchases of goods and services, excluding the prices of food and energy. The core PCE is the Fed's preferred inflation measure. The central bank has a 2 percent target.
14:00
USD
Michigan Consumer Sentiment Final
{previous}
79.4
{forecast}
77.9
{actual}
The Index of Consumer Expectations focuses on three areas: how consumers view prospects for their own financial situation, how they view prospects for the general economy over the near term, and their view of prospects for the economy over the long term. Each monthly survey contains approximately 50 core questions, each of which tracks a different aspect of consumer attitudes and expectations. The samples for the Surveys of Consumers are statistically designed to be representative of all American households, excluding those in Alaska and Hawaii. Each month, a minimum of 500 interviews are conducted by telephone.
14:00
USD
Michigan 5 Year Inflation Expectations Final
{previous}
2.8%
{forecast}
3%
{actual}
The Index of Consumer Expectations focuses on three areas: how consumers view prospects for their own financial situation, how they view prospects for the general economy over the near term, and their view of prospects for the economy over the long term. Each monthly survey contains approximately 50 core questions, each of which tracks a different aspect of consumer attitudes and expectations. The samples for the Surveys of Consumers are statistically designed to be representative of all American households, excluding those in Alaska and Hawaii. Each month, a minimum of 500 interviews are conducted by telephone.
14:00
USD
Michigan Consumer Expectations Final
{previous}
77.4
{forecast}
77
{actual}
The Index of Consumer Expectations focuses on three areas: how consumers view prospects for their own financial situation, how they view prospects for the general economy over the near term, and their view of prospects for the economy over the long term. Each monthly survey contains approximately 50 core questions, each of which tracks a different aspect of consumer attitudes and expectations. The samples for the Surveys of Consumers are statistically designed to be representative of all American households, excluding those in Alaska and Hawaii. Each month, a minimum of 500 interviews are conducted by telephone.
14:00
USD
Michigan Current Conditions Final
{previous}
82.5
{forecast}
79.3
{actual}
The Index of Consumer Expectations focuses on three areas: how consumers view prospects for their own financial situation, how they view prospects for the general economy over the near term, and their view of prospects for the economy over the long term. Each monthly survey contains approximately 50 core questions, each of which tracks a different aspect of consumer attitudes and expectations. The samples for the Surveys of Consumers are statistically designed to be representative of all American households, excluding those in Alaska and Hawaii. Each month, a minimum of 500 interviews are conducted by telephone.
14:00
USD
Michigan Inflation Expectations Final
{previous}
2.9%
{forecast}
3.1%
{actual}
The Index of Consumer Expectations focuses on three areas: how consumers view prospects for their own financial situation, how they view prospects for the general economy over the near term, and their view of prospects for the economy over the long term. Each monthly survey contains approximately 50 core questions, each of which tracks a different aspect of consumer attitudes and expectations. The samples for the Surveys of Consumers are statistically designed to be representative of all American households, excluding those in Alaska and Hawaii. Each month, a minimum of 500 interviews are conducted by telephone.
15:00
CAD
Budget Balance
{previous}
C$-2.1B
{forecast}
{actual}
The government budget balance is the difference between government revenues and expenses, excluding public debt charges. The budget is balanced when outlays equal to receipts, the country reports budget surplus when revenues are higher than expenses and deficit when expenses exceed the revenues.
16:00
RUB
Real Wage Growth YoY
{previous}
8.5%
{forecast}
8%
{actual}
In Russia, Real Wage Growth measures the year-on-year change in average monthly wages adjusted for inflation.
16:00
RUB
Unemployment Rate
{previous}
2.8%
{forecast}
2.9%
{actual}
In Russia, the unemployment rate measures the number of people actively looking for a job as a percentage of the labour force.
