Risk warning: Forex trading carries a high level of risk and may not be suitable for all investors. You may lose more than your initial deposit. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
News days, on your UTC+1 clock.
The 23 releases that move EUR/USD, GBP/USD and gold — with usual UTC+1 times, a live countdown to the next big three, and a routine that keeps beginners out of the spike.
Next market movers
Fetching official US release dates…
Three rules before red news
- Check — every morning, note red USD events at 1:30pm UTC+1 and any 12pm–2pm central-bank days.
- Wait — no new trades 15 minutes before and 15 minutes after a red release. Spreads widen, stops slip.
- Sit out NFP Friday — if you are new, make the first Friday of the month a demo day or a day off.
Want the full routine, with the UTC+1 clock explained? ReadHow to Read the Economic Calendar (UTC+1).
Nonfarm Payrolls (NFP)
The biggest monthly US jobs number. A surprise moves the dollar — and gold — in seconds.
US CPI (Inflation)
Hot inflation pushes rate-hike bets up and the dollar with them. Cold prints do the reverse.
FOMC Rate Decision
The Fed sets the dollar’s price. The statement moves markets; Powell’s press conference moves them again.
FOMC Meeting Minutes
Shows how split the Fed is. Hawkish minutes lift the dollar even with no rate change.
US GDP (Advance)
The headline growth number. Big beats raise dollar demand; big misses cut it.
US Retail Sales
Shoppers drive the US economy. Strong sales = strong dollar, usually.
US PCE Inflation
The Fed’s favourite inflation gauge. Moves rate expectations like CPI does.
US PPI (Producer Prices)
Factory-gate inflation that often leaks into CPI. Early warning for dollar moves.
ISM Manufacturing PMI
Above 50 = factories growing. Surprises swing the dollar in the London–New York overlap.
ISM Services PMI
Services are most of the US economy. A miss here hits the dollar fast.
ADP Employment
Private payrolls preview of Friday’s NFP. Sets the tone for the week’s biggest day.
US Jobless Claims
Weekly layoff count. Mostly quiet, but spikes reprice rate bets quickly.
CB Consumer Confidence
Confident shoppers spend more. Big surprises nudge the dollar.
US Durable Goods Orders
Big-ticket factory orders. Volatile headline — watch the ex-transport core.
Fed Speakers (Powell et al.)
One hawkish sentence from Powell can move the dollar more than data. Never hold blind into a speech.
ECB Rate Decision
Sets the euro’s direction for weeks. Lagarde’s press conference often matters more than the rate.
Eurozone CPI (Flash)
Drives ECB hike/cut bets. Hot print = stronger euro before lunch in Lagos.
Eurozone / German PMI (Flash)
Early read on European factories. Moves the euro in the London morning.
BoE Rate Decision
The pound’s biggest scheduled mover. Split votes (e.g. 5–4) mean extra volatility.
UK CPI (Inflation)
Drops at 7am WAT — before most Lagosians are at their charts. Check it before your first trade.
UK GDP (Monthly)
Monthly growth snapshot. Small beats rarely trend, but big misses shake the pound.
BoJ Rate Decision
Japan’s ultra-low rates make this a yen bomb when it surprises. Intervention talk adds fuel.
Tokyo CPI (Japan Inflation)
Prints overnight in Nigeria. Read it with morning coffee before touching yen pairs.
Calendar questions
What is the economic calendar?
A schedule of major announcements — jobs data, inflation, rate decisions — that move currency prices. Red (high-impact) US news at 1:30pm UTC+1 is the main danger zone for beginners.
How should a beginner use it?
Check it each morning before you trade. If red USD news lands within 30 minutes, wait: no new trades 15 minutes before and 15 minutes after the release.
Which events move my trades most?
US Nonfarm Payrolls (first Friday monthly), US CPI (mid-month), and Fed decisions (8× a year). If you trade EUR/USD, add ECB days; GBP/USD, add Bank of England days.
Are the times exact?
Times below are the usual UTC+1 (WAT) slots. US and European daylight-saving changes can shift a release by one hour, so confirm the day’s time on ForexFactory or Investing.com before you plan around it.
Schedule guide for education only — slots are the usual WAT equivalents and can shift with US/EU daylight saving or rescheduled meetings. Live dates above come from public US macro sources via Xoomar. Not investment advice. Confirm each day’s time on your broker’s calendar before trading.