As a forex trader you need to be constantly on top of these data – always ready to read and interpret reports as it is released. You should be able to do this quickly as well because the market immediately reacts to these economic indicators. I know of some forex traders who are on a long position but were caught flat-footed when negative economic data was released that resulted in the currency they were trading in to fall in value. Believe me, it’s not a good position to be in.
One of the most common questions asked by budding traders is what economic data to look out for. The question is understandable since there is a mountain of data that is released on a regular basis. But among forex traders the following indicators and reports are what they often follow. These are the ones that have a strong effect on currency value movements.
Employment data
Employment data is a strong economic indicator because it shows the level of unemployment in a country. As we all know a high unemployment rate can create a bigger strain on a country’s economy. Among the employment related data you need to follow are: Unemployment Rate, Unemployment Claims, Employment Change, Non-Farm Employment Change.
Economic data
The Trade Balance and the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the major economies and currency leaders are quite important and immediately have an impact on the value of a currency the moment it is released.
Other economic data that you should also monitor are those that are closely linked to indicating inflation, e.g., the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and the Producer Price Index (PPI).
Central Bank and Policy Makers
The biggest influencers of market movements are, of course, the announcements and policies made by a country’s central bank and the important monetary authorities. The most important data indicators are the interest rate announcements and monetary policy statements released by the country central banks, for example, the European Central Bank (ECB), Federal Reserve (Fed), and the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC).
With so many economic data you need to be on top of, it can get confusing if you try to get information from different sources. The best option would be to visit sites dedicated to forex trading strategy. Most of these sites aggregate all of the relevant articles, policy statements and data that have an effect on the forex market. Aside from being a one-stop shop for forex information, most of these sites also feature data analysis and present you with good explanations as to why a recently released set of economic data will be good or bad for certain currencies.
Your favorite forex trading platform will often have its own news and analysis section as well. This is also a good source of information, and it’s also more convenient because you won’t need to visit different sites. It’s all there in one site.
Editors’ Picks
EUR/USD recovers modestly from 2023-low, trades below 1.0500

EUR/USD dropped to a fresh 2023-low near 1.0450 on Tuesday before staging a modest rebound. After the data from the US showed that the number of job openings rose unexpectedly in August, the US Dollar extended its rally and caused the pair to turn south in the American session.
GBP/USD holds above 1.2050 after US data

GBP/USD fell sharply to the 1.2050 area with the immediate reaction to the US job openings data but managed to its losses. As safe-haven flows continue to dominate the financial markets, however, the pair finds it difficult to gather recovery momentum.
Gold moves closer to $1,800 amid risk-off flows Premium

Gold price stays under modest bearish pressure and trades below $1,830 in the second half of the day on Tuesday. The benchmark 10-year US Treasury bond yield holds at fresh multi-year highs above 4.7% after upbeat US data, not allowing XAU/USD to gain traction.
Chainlink price still trapped in range despite exhausted macro downtrend

Chainlink price eyes the upper boundary of a range at $8.148. It comes after the macro downtrend concluded, and could be the path to a new confirmed macro uptrend for LINK.
S&P 500 Forecast: 4,300 becomes resistance for lagging index

S&P 500 lost 0.74% last week, its fourth consecutive losing streak. Equity index stayed uncertain and closed flat on Monday. Tuesday begins with index shedding ground once more as 4,300 turns into resistance.
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