Economic Calendar

US Events
Date Event Impact Actual Previous
2025-05-16 Housing Starts Medium 1,361.00 thousands 1,339.00 thousands
2025-05-16 Durable Goods Orders Medium 315,729.00 millions 289,150.00 millions
2025-05-15 Producer Price Index Medium 258.71 index 258.71 index
2025-05-15 Retail Sales High 226,064.00 millions 226,433.00 millions
2025-05-15 Industrial Production Medium 103.88 index 103.89 index
2025-05-14 Federal Funds Rate High 4.33 % 4.33 %
2025-05-14 Gross Domestic Product High 29,977.63 billions 29,723.86 billions
2025-05-14 Retail Sales High 225,905.00 millions 222,556.00 millions
2025-05-14 Consumer Confidence Medium 57.00 index 64.70 index
2025-05-14 New Home Sales Medium 724.00 thousands 674.00 thousands
2025-05-14 Trade Balance Medium -140,498.00 millions -123,195.00 millions
2025-05-14 Durable Goods Orders Medium 315,659.00 millions 289,065.00 millions
2025-05-14 Non-Farm Payrolls High 159,517.00 thousands 159,340.00 thousands
2025-05-13 CPI Inflation High 320.32 % 319.62 %
2025-05-13 Unemployment Rate High 4.20 % 4.20 %
2025-05-13 Producer Price Index Medium 258.84 index 259.81 index
2025-05-13 Industrial Production Medium 103.89 index 104.22 index
2025-05-13 Housing Starts Medium 1,324.00 thousands 1,494.00 thousands
2025-05-12 CPI Inflation High 319.62 % 319.78 %
2025-05-09 CPI Inflation High 319.62 % 319.78 %
2025-05-09 Gross Domestic Product High 29,977.63 billions 29,723.86 billions
2025-05-09 Producer Price Index Medium 258.84 index 259.81 index
2025-05-09 Retail Sales High 225,905.00 millions 222,556.00 millions
2025-05-09 Industrial Production Medium 103.89 index 104.22 index
2025-05-09 Trade Balance Medium -140,498.00 millions -123,195.00 millions
2025-05-09 Durable Goods Orders Medium 315,659.00 millions 289,065.00 millions
2025-05-08 Federal Funds Rate High 4.33 % 4.33 %
2025-05-08 Housing Starts Medium 1,324.00 thousands 1,494.00 thousands
2025-05-08 New Home Sales Medium 724.00 thousands 674.00 thousands
2025-05-06 Unemployment Rate High 4.20 % 4.20 %
2025-05-06 Consumer Confidence Medium 57.00 index 64.70 index
2025-05-03 Non-Farm Payrolls High 159,517.00 thousands 159,340.00 thousands
Global Market Events

Market News

Solana Labs offshoot Anza pitches 'biggest change' ever to network consensus

2025-05-20 | USD

Anza, a Solana blockchain infrastructure firm spun out of Solana Labs, has proposed a new proof-of-stake consensus called Alpenglow that it claims wou...

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Should You Buy Nvidia Before May 28?

2025-05-20 | USD

Nvidia ( NASDAQ: NVDA ) soared over the past two years, but in recent weeks, it's offered investors a fresh buying opportunity that some may have neve...

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Shares in China's CATL jump over 17% in Hong Kong debut as battery maker rides electric-vehicle boom

2025-05-20 | USD

The IPO had raised HK$35.7 billion ($4.6 billion) according to a company filing, reportedly making it the largest global listing in 2025.

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Senate Stablecoin Bill Passes Key Vote as GENIUS Act Regains Momentum

2025-05-20 | USD

The GENIUS Act passed a cloture vote Monday evening less than two weeks after failing one. It will now head to a full floor vote.

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Microsoft Introduces GitHub AI Agent, Now With More Vibe Coding

2025-05-20 | USD

Microsoft has upgraded GitHub Copilot into a full AI coding agent, capable of reasoning and executing tasks with minimal developer input.

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Mainz Biomed Announces Pricing of $4.0 Million Follow-On Offering of Ordinary Shares and Warrants

2025-05-20 | USD

BERKELEY, Calif. and MAINZ, Germany, May 19, 2025 ( GLOBE NEWSWIRE ) -- Mainz Biomed N.V. ( NASDAQ:MYNZ ) ( "Mainz Biomed" or the "Company" ) , a mole...

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Market Outlook

Comprehensive Guide to Interpreting Economic Indicators

A reference tool for traders, investors, and economic observers

This guide helps you understand the significance of common economic indicators. For each indicator, we provide the Federal Reserve Economic Data series ID where applicable, explain which direction of change is typically viewed as positive for the economy, and offer context for proper interpretation.

Indicator FRED Series ID Positive Change Reason Benchmark/Target Frequency Impact
GDP Growth GDP Increase Indicates economic growth and expansion 2-3% annually Quarterly High
Unemployment Rate Labor UNRATE Decrease More people employed, stronger labor market ~4-5% (U.S. natural rate) Monthly High
Consumer Price Index (CPI) Inflation CPIAUCSL Moderate (~2%) Healthy for growth; too high reduces purchasing power Fed target: 2% Monthly High
Non-Farm Payrolls Labor PAYEMS Increase More jobs created, robust economy 150k-200k/month Monthly Very High
Retail Sales Consumer RSAFS Increase Stronger consumer spending, drives GDP Month-over-month growth Monthly Medium-High
Industrial Production Production INDPRO Increase Higher manufacturing output, economic activity Consistent growth Monthly Medium
Housing Starts Housing HOUST Increase Developer confidence in future growth Seasonal variation expected Monthly Medium
Consumer Confidence Consumer UMCSENT Increase Consumers likely to spend more >100 is positive Monthly Medium-High
Durable Goods Orders Production DGORDER Increase Future production and economic activity Volatile; focus on trends Monthly Medium
Trade Balance Growth BOPGSTB Surplus increase Stronger economic position Ideally balanced Monthly Medium
Indicator FRED Series ID Positive Change Reason Benchmark/Target Frequency Impact
Producer Price Index (PPI) Inflation PPIACO Moderate Signals healthy demand; precursor to CPI Similar to CPI (≈2%) Monthly Medium
ISM Manufacturing PMI Production NAPM >50 Above 50 indicates expansion 50 is neutral Monthly High
Initial Jobless Claims Labor ICSA Decrease Fewer layoffs, stronger job market <300k generally positive Weekly Medium-High
Building Permits Housing PERMIT Increase Future housing construction Seasonal variation expected Monthly Medium
Personal Income Consumer PI Increase More spending power for consumers Consistent growth Monthly Medium
Personal Spending Consumer PCE Moderate Consumer-driven economic activity Aligned with income growth Monthly Medium
Core PCE Price Index Inflation PCEPILFE ~2% Fed's preferred inflation measure Fed target: 2% Monthly High
Capacity Utilization Production TCU Increase Efficient use of production resources 80-85% considered optimal Monthly Low-Medium
Federal Funds Rate Monetary FEDFUNDS Context-dependent Key interest rate set by Federal Reserve Depends on economic conditions 8 times yearly Very High
10-Year Treasury Yield Monetary GS10 Context-dependent Benchmark for borrowing costs Depends on economic outlook Daily High

Interpreting Economic Data Effectively

Context Matters
  • Economic Cycle Position: Indicators should be interpreted differently depending on whether the economy is in expansion, peak, contraction, or trough
  • Rate of Change: The speed at which an indicator changes can be as important as the direction
  • Revisions: Many economic statistics are revised in subsequent releases; initial readings may be misleading
Comparative Analysis
  • Expectations vs. Actual: Market reaction often depends more on how data compares to expectations than the absolute value
  • Historical Trends: Compare current readings to historical patterns and averages
  • International Context: Compare indicators across countries for relative economic strength
Nuanced Interpretation
  • Inflation: While moderate inflation (~2%) indicates healthy demand, high inflation erodes purchasing power and may trigger tighter monetary policy
  • Unemployment: Very low unemployment can signal labor shortages and wage inflation pressure
  • Interest Rates: Lower rates stimulate borrowing and growth but may indicate economic weakness; higher rates control inflation but can slow growth
Leading vs. Lagging Indicators
  • Leading Indicators: Signal future economic activity (e.g., Building Permits, Consumer Confidence)
  • Coincident Indicators: Show current economic status (e.g., GDP, Industrial Production)
  • Lagging Indicators: Confirm economic trends after they occur (e.g., Unemployment Rate)

Market Reaction Guidelines

Short-term Trading
  • Markets often react immediately to surprise readings that differ significantly from consensus expectations
  • High-impact indicators (GDP, NFP, CPI) typically generate the largest market moves
  • Initial reaction may reverse as traders digest the full implications of the data
Long-term Investment
  • Focus on trends rather than individual data points
  • Consider how data affects monetary and fiscal policy decisions
  • Evaluate how economic conditions impact different asset classes and sectors
Interconnected Analysis
  • No single indicator provides a complete picture
  • Consider relationships between indicators (e.g., rising wages → increased consumer spending → higher retail sales)
  • Watch for divergences between related indicators as potential warning signs

Accessing Economic Data