Ticker&TapeHow to use the economic calendar
Big economic releases come out on a schedule you can see weeks in advance. Checking the calendar takes two minutes and helps you avoid being blindsided by a sudden gap in the indexes.
The releases that matter most
Dozens of reports come out every month, but only a handful regularly move the whole market. These are marked as high importance on the Macro page. Times below are New York time (ET), the clock the U.S. market runs on.
- CPI (consumer inflation): monthly, 8:30 a.m.
- Jobs report (nonfarm payrolls, unemployment): usually the first Friday of the month, 8:30 a.m.
- PCE (the Fed's preferred inflation gauge): monthly, 8:30 a.m.
- GDP and retail sales: 8:30 a.m.
- ISM manufacturing and services surveys: 10:00 a.m.
- Jobless claims: every Thursday, 8:30 a.m.
- FOMC decision: 2:00 p.m., press conference at 2:30, eight times a year.
Why the time matters
Most reports come out at 8:30 a.m., an hour before the 9:30 open. The reaction shows up in pre-market trading and often as a gap at the open. The ISM at 10:00 a.m. and the Fed at 2:00 p.m. land during the session, so prices can jump while you are in a trade.
If you trade from outside the U.S., convert these times to your own clock once and write them down. The Macro page already shows them in New York time so they line up with the market's hours.
Managing risk around CPI and Fed days
You don't have to stop trading on big days, but you should be deliberate. Some practical habits:
- Avoid opening a brand-new position right before a major release. Wait for the reaction and let the market show its hand.
- If a stock you own is near your stop, know that a report can push it through the stop with a gap. Consider trimming before the event.
- On FOMC afternoons, expect whipsaws. Don't judge a breakout until the close.
- Keep position sizes normal or smaller. Big days are not the time to size up.
A weekly calendar habit
Every weekend, open the calendar and note the key releases for the coming week, along with the earnings dates of stocks you own or watch. Write them into your plan. This fits naturally into your weekly routine.
Then, each morning, glance at the day's events before the open. Knowing that CPI is out at 8:30 explains a big pre-market move instead of surprising you.
Common mistakes
- Not knowing a big report is due and buying right before it.
- Reading release times in your local clock and mixing them up with the market's hours.
- Reacting to the first five minutes after a Fed decision instead of waiting for the close.
- Forgetting that earnings dates for your own stocks are just as important as macro events.
Key points
- A few releases move the whole market: CPI, jobs, PCE, GDP, retail sales, ISM, claims and the FOMC.
- Most come out at 8:30 a.m. New York time; the Fed decision lands at 2:00 p.m.
- Check the calendar every weekend and every morning, and be careful opening new trades right before big events.
Check what you learned
Answer at least 2 of 3 correctly to complete the lesson.
1. CPI comes out at 8:30 a.m. New York time. How does the market's reaction usually show up?
Most major reports land an hour before the open, so the reaction appears pre-market and as an opening gap.
2. A stock you own is sitting just above your stop, and CPI comes out tomorrow morning. What is a sensible habit?
A gap can skip right past a stop. Being deliberate before big releases keeps surprises small.
3. A stock breaks out at 2:15 p.m. on an FOMC afternoon. What does the lesson advise?
Fed afternoons often swing both ways. Big days are not the time to size up.
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