Learn what moves
the markets.
Markets react to more than price charts. Company earnings, economic announcements, central bank decisions and global events can all change direction. Learn the events behind the moves and how to approach them with care.
Understand the events behind the moves.
Four kinds of event drive most of the big, fast moves. Learn what each one is and why traders watch it.
Corporate earnings reports
See how company profit, revenue growth and future outlook can move share prices and the mood of the whole market.
Economic calendar and key announcements
Follow the big releases: inflation, employment, GDP and interest rate decisions, and the times they land.
Central bank decisions
Learn how the Federal Reserve, ECB and other central banks affect currencies, indices and global markets.
Market reactions and opportunities
Explore how markets respond to news, what volatility means, and how to plan for different conditions.
See a week of events in UK time.
Pick a day and a type of event. Open any row to see why it matters. This is an example week to show how a calendar looks.
See how prices react.
Choose an event and watch what the price tends to do around the release. These are simple illustrations of common patterns, not predictions.
Strong earnings
Illustration of a Share price around the releaseWhat to expect
- What happens
- What traders watch
- Risk to know
The banks that move currencies.
Interest rates are the price of money. When a central bank changes them, or hints at a change, currencies and indices can move fast.
| Central bank | Currency | Meetings a year | What traders watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Reserve (Fed) | US dollar | 8 | Rate decision, statement, press conference |
| European Central Bank (ECB) | Euro | 8 | Rate decision, press conference |
| Bank of England (BoE) | Pound sterling | 8 | Rate decision, vote split, minutes |
| Bank of Japan (BoJ) | Japanese yen | 8 | Rate decision, outlook report |
Meetings per year are typical. Dates are published by each central bank in advance.
Before, during and after.
Events are exciting, but they are also when risk is highest. A simple routine helps you stay in control.
Plan the event
- Check the calendar and note the time in UK time
- Decide how much you are willing to lose
- Use a stop-loss, and consider a smaller position size
- Check your margin so you are not close to a margin call
Expect fast moves
- Spreads can widen and orders can fill at worse prices
- The first move often reverses, so avoid chasing it
- Do not add to a losing trade
- Watch for a second move at the press conference
Review calmly
- Wait for prices to settle before new trades
- Compare the result with what was expected
- Note what worked and what did not
- Take a break after a big loss
Events are when risk is at its highest.
- Spreads can widen sharply around news.
- Prices can gap past your stop-loss and fill at a worse price.
- Leverage magnifies losses as well as gains, so a fast move can be costly.
- If you are not sure, stay out. No trade is also a decision.
Earnings and events, answered.
Risk warning. Market analysis and educational content are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute investment advice. Forex and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Prices can move sharply and gap around earnings, economic releases and central bank decisions. 74% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.
Stay informed. Trade with care.
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