Economic Calendar
Track market-moving economic events in real time. Filter by impact, country, and category.
Monday, May 11, 2026
Tuesday, May 12, 2026
Wednesday, May 13, 2026
Thursday, May 14, 2026
Friday, May 15, 2026
Saturday, May 16, 2026
Sunday, May 17, 2026
Economic calendar data is for informational purposes only. Times are displayed in your local timezone. Always confirm data with official sources before making trading decisions.
How to Trade the Forex Economic Calendar
Why Economic Data Moves the Forex Market
Currency values are fundamentally driven by interest rate expectations, which are in turn shaped by economic data releases. When US Non-Farm Payrolls (NFP) comes in stronger than forecast, traders expect the Federal Reserve to keep rates higher for longer, strengthening the US Dollar. Conversely, weak data suggests potential rate cuts, weakening the currency. The gap between the forecast and actual number — the 'surprise' — is what creates the price move, not the number itself.
High-Impact vs. Low-Impact Events
Not all economic releases are equal. High-impact events like central bank rate decisions, NFP, and CPI readings can move major pairs 50-200 pips within minutes. Medium-impact events like PMI data and retail sales typically cause 20-50 pip reactions. Low-impact releases rarely cause significant volatility on their own but can contribute to trends when they cluster in one direction.
The Three Ways to Trade News Events
Professional traders use three strategies around news: (1) Pre-positioning — taking a directional bet based on market expectations before the release. This is risky but offers the largest potential reward. (2) Straddle — placing both a buy-stop and sell-stop above and below the current price to catch the breakout in either direction. (3) Post-release trading — waiting 15-30 minutes after the release for the initial spike to settle, then trading the follow-through trend.
The Danger of Trading During News Releases
While news trading can be profitable, it carries unique risks. Spreads typically widen 5-10x during major releases — your 0.2-pip EUR/USD spread might jump to 3+ pips momentarily. Slippage is common, meaning your order fills at a worse price than expected. Stop-losses can be gapped through, resulting in larger losses than planned. Many professional traders avoid having open positions during high-impact releases entirely.
Central Bank Calendar: The Most Important Dates
Eight central banks drive the global forex market: the Fed (USD), ECB (EUR), BoE (GBP), BoJ (JPY), RBA (AUD), BoC (CAD), SNB (CHF), and RBNZ (NZD). Their scheduled interest rate decisions and press conferences are the single most impactful events on the calendar. The key is not just the rate decision itself, but the forward guidance — hints about future policy direction. A 'hawkish hold' (no change, but hinting at future hikes) can be as bullish as an actual rate increase.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most important economic event for forex?
The US Non-Farm Payrolls (NFP) report, released on the first Friday of each month at 8:30 AM EST, is widely considered the single most market-moving regular event. It typically causes 50-100+ pip moves on EUR/USD within minutes. Central bank rate decisions are equally impactful but less frequent.
Should I close my trades before high-impact news?
This depends on your strategy. Day traders and scalpers should strongly consider closing or reducing positions before major releases to avoid slippage and spread widening. Swing traders with wider stop-losses may choose to hold through news if their analysis accounts for the fundamental data.
What time zone are economic calendar events shown in?
Our calendar displays events in your local timezone, automatically adjusted from the source timezone. Most US data releases are at 8:30 AM or 10:00 AM Eastern Time. European data typically releases at 10:00 AM CET. Central bank decisions vary by institution.
How quickly should I react to an economic release?
Most professional traders recommend NOT reacting in the first 30-60 seconds. The initial price spike often reverses or stalls as the market digests the full context of the data. Wait for the first candle to close on your trading timeframe, then assess the direction of the follow-through move.
What does 'consensus forecast' mean?
The forecast (consensus) is the median estimate from a survey of economists and analysts. It represents what the market has already 'priced in.' If the actual number matches the forecast, the price impact is usually minimal. The bigger the deviation between actual and forecast, the larger the price move.