An economic calendar lists upcoming scheduled data releases and events — like GDP, CPI, NFP, and central bank meetings — along with their expected time, forecast consensus, and historical impact rating. Traders use it to anticipate periods of likely higher volatility and to avoid being caught with unhedged exposure into a high-impact release.
Most calendars flag events as low, medium, or high impact; high-impact releases for major currencies are the ones most likely to move price sharply within seconds of publication.
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Guide
How to Read an Economic Calendar
Actual versus forecast, impact ratings, revisions and time zones — how an economic calendar is structured, and what it can and cannot tell you.