Key Macroeconomic Indicators for Currency Trading
A list of some of the most important economic indicators when trading Forex currencies:
1. Interest Rates
US: US interest rates decisions are made by FED 8 times per year
ECB: The European Central Bank meets monthly to decide about its interest rates policy (Between the 10th and the 14th day of each month)
2. Gross Domestic Product
- US: US Advance GDP is released 1 month after the end of the quarter by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). The final GDP is released 3 months after the quarter’s end. GDP is released during the last week of each month.
- Europe: Monthly by Eurostat
3. Employment/Unemployment
- US NFP: The NFP report is released on the 1st Friday of every month by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- EU Unemployment: Monthly by Eurostat, usually during the last day of each month or the first day of the next month
4. Consumer Price Index / Inflation Reports
- US CPI: The CPI report is released on a monthly basis by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics between the 15th and the 22nd day of each month
- Europe’s (HICP): Eurostat announces the HICP Harmonised Indices of Consumer Prices) each month:
- The HICP of the previous month (middle of the month)
- A flash estimate of the current month (end of each month)
5. Retail Sales
- US: US retail sales are released monthly, about 15 days after the end of the month reviewed (08:30, New York time)
- EU: Europe’s Retail Trade figure is released monthly between the 3rd day and the 6th day of each month (two months prior) by Eurostat
6. Trade Balance
- US: monthly between the 8th and the 12th day of each month (two months prior -each month is released the figure of two months ago) by the US Bureau of Economic Analysis
- EU: Europe’s International Trade figure is released monthly between the 13th and the 18th day of each month (two months prior -each month EU releases the figure of two months ago)
7. Purchasing Manufacturing Index (PMI)
- US: Monthly, The first business day of the month (Each Month the previous month's data)
- EU: Monthly between the 12th and the 14th day of each month, (two months prior -each month EU releases the figure of two months ago)
8. Consumer Confidence Survey
- US: Monthly by the Conference Board
- EU: Monthly by Eurostat (flash estimate between the 21st and 23rd day of each month)