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Module E · Fundamentals·Lesson 4

Key Data Releases

The numbers that actually matter

4 sections · 3 quiz questions · ~5 min read

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NFP — Non-Farm Payrolls

First Friday of every month, 8:30am ET. Tells you how many US jobs were added. A big beat = USD up. A big miss = USD down. Spreads blow out and charts whipsaw for 30 minutes. Most pros are flat (no trades) through NFP.
Wick points at a 24-hour dial with a short arc at 8:30 marked NFP, hours in Eastern Time, teaching when the monthly US jobs report lands.2461218NFP1st Friday,hours in ET
Wick saysNFP comes out the first Friday of each month at 8:30am New York time.

CPI — Inflation

Released monthly. Measures how fast prices are rising. Hot CPI = inflation is a problem = central bank likely to raise rates = currency usually strengthens. Cool CPI = central bank can relax = currency usually weakens.
Wick shows three cards for NFP, CPI and GDP with what each one measures, teaching the big reports that can move a currency.NFPHow manyUS jobswere addedCPIHow fastprices arerisingGDPHow muchtheeconomygrew
Wick saysNFP counts jobs, CPI tracks inflation, and GDP measures how much the economy grew.

FOMC Decision & Press Conference

Every 6 weeks the US Federal Reserve (FOMC) decides rates. 30 minutes after the decision, the Fed chair gives a press conference. The press conference is often MORE important than the decision — it shows you where rates are going NEXT.
Wick reads a headline about hot inflation and rate hike talk beside a chart that rises, teaching how inflation data can shift what traders expect from rates.MARKET NEWSHot CPI: ratehike talk growsPractice chart?
Wick saysHot CPI can mean higher rates ahead, so the currency often strengthens. Often, not always.

GDP — Gross Domestic Product

Released quarterly. Measures how much a country's economy grew. Strong GDP = healthy economy = currency usually strengthens. Weak GDP = trouble = currency usually weakens. GDP moves currencies less on release day than NFP/CPI, but it sets the long-term tone.
Quick check

Did it stick?

Try to answer each one before you peek at the explanation.

1

When is NFP released?

2

The FOMC press conference is often more important than the rate decision itself.

3

Match the data release to what it measures:

NFP→US jobs added
CPI→Inflation
GDP→Economic growth