CFDs are leveraged. Most retail traders lose money, and you can lose more than you deposit.

Lesson 10 · 5 min

Reading the economic calendar

Scheduled data releases move markets in seconds.

What's on it

Jobs reports, inflation, central bank rate decisions, GDP and business surveys. Each has a time, the previous figure and a forecast.

Markets react to the gap between the actual figure and the forecast, not to whether the number is 'good'.

Around big releases spreads widen and slippage is common. Stops can fill well away from their level.

The event explainers cover who publishes each release, when, and what it measures.

1. What usually moves the price on a release? The actual figure vs the forecast The time of day The previous figure alone

2. What tends to happen to spreads at big releases? They narrow They widen Nothing

3. Which is a central bank event? Retail sales FOMC rate decision PMI

Education only, not advice. CFDs are leveraged and most retail traders lose money.