Economic Calendar
Track high-impact economic events that move markets — with no-trade zone alerts.
Free — no signup, no ads, instant results
No upcoming high-impact events this week
Who Is This For?
All active traders who need a quick daily check of what news events could impact their positions — especially scalpers and day traders who must avoid high-impact releases.
Why Follow Economic Events?
Economic data releases are the single biggest source of short-term volatility in forex and futures markets. Central bank rate decisions, employment reports, and inflation data can move major pairs hundreds of pips in minutes.
Even if you don't trade the news directly, knowing when high-impact events occur prevents you from entering positions that get instantly stopped out by a volatility spike. Most professional traders check the economic calendar before every trading session.
Most Important Events
Non-Farm Payrolls (NFP)
Released the first Friday of every month. The single most-watched economic release in forex. Reports the change in US employment and directly impacts Federal Reserve policy expectations.
Consumer Price Index (CPI)
The primary measure of inflation. Higher-than-expected CPI typically strengthens the dollar as markets price in tighter monetary policy. Released monthly for all major economies.
FOMC Rate Decisions
The Federal Reserve's interest rate decisions occur 8 times per year. The statement and press conference that follow can cause extended volatility lasting hours.
ECB & BOE Decisions
The European Central Bank and Bank of England rate decisions are the primary movers for EUR and GBP pairs respectively. Similar structure to FOMC with statement and press conference.
How to Use This Calendar
Step 1: Check the calendar at the start of each trading session. Filter to “High Impact Only” to see the events that matter most.
Step 2: Note the countdown timer at the top. If a high-impact event is approaching, avoid entering new positions until after the release.
Step 3: Watch for the yellow “ZONE” badge on events near the current time. This is your no-trade zone — a window before and after the event where volatility is unpredictable.
Step 4: Compare the “Forecast” vs “Actual” values once released. A significant deviation from forecast signals a potential sharp move in the affected currency.
No-Trade Zones
A no-trade zone is a time window before and after a high-impact event where you should avoid entering new positions. The default is 30 minutes, but you can adjust it to 15 or 60 minutes depending on your risk tolerance.
During no-trade zones, spreads widen significantly, liquidity thins, and price can gap or spike through stop loss levels. Even experienced traders get caught by news volatility. The safest approach is to step aside and let the market settle before re-entering.
Events currently within your selected no-trade zone are highlighted with a yellow ring and “ZONE” badge in the calendar above.
Assumptions & Edge Cases
- Data sourced from Forex Factory (third-party). May be delayed or temporarily unavailable.
- Times are approximate — always verify with your broker.
- No-trade zone is a guideline, not a rule. Some strategies specifically target news volatility.
Related Reading
Frequently Asked Questions
High-impact events like NFP, CPI, and FOMC can move markets hundreds of pips in seconds. Knowing when they occur helps you avoid unwanted exposure or position for the move.
Most retail traders should avoid entering new positions 30 minutes before and after high-impact events. The volatility can trigger stop losses and cause slippage.
For USD pairs: Non-Farm Payrolls (NFP), CPI, FOMC rate decisions, GDP. For EUR: ECB rate decisions, CPI. For GBP: BOE decisions, CPI.
The forecast is the market consensus before the release. If actual significantly differs from forecast, expect a sharp move. The bigger the surprise, the bigger the reaction.