Economic Calendar (ปฏิทินเศรษฐกิจ)

An Economic Calendar is a list of scheduled economic news and data releases, organised by date and time. Traders use it to know when important information will be published, so they are not surprised by sudden price moves.

What you usually see

Each line in a calendar normally shows:

• Time and date (check which time zone the calendar uses)
• Country or currency affected, such as the US (USD) or the Eurozone (EUR)
• Event name, for example an interest rate decision, inflation (CPI), employment data or GDP
• Impact level, often marked low, medium or high (or by colours or stars)
• Previous, Forecast and Actual values

Small example

Suppose a calendar shows US unemployment rate: Previous 4.0%, Forecast 4.1%, Actual 4.3%. The actual figure is higher than forecast. The market may react strongly, because the result differs from what most people expected. It is often the surprise, not the number itself, that moves price.

Why it matters

High-impact releases can cause fast price jumps and a wider Spread. Many beginners open a trade just before a major release without checking the calendar, then are stopped out by a sudden spike. A good habit is to check the calendar each day and decide in advance how to handle high-impact events, such as using a Stop Loss or staying out of the market. Remember that the impact level is only a general guide, and no calendar can tell you which way price will move.