Key Data Releases
The numbers that actually matter
4 sections · 3 quiz questions · ~5 min read
Guided course path
Keep key data releases inside the live track.
You are reading a reference lesson. The live course path gives you the lesson order, checks, saved progress, and next step. This live path connects market structure to companies, macro drivers, and earnings context.
Closest track: Stocks, ETFs, and Equities MacroFirst lesson: What a share actually represents
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.
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.
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.
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