1. Employment Report
Importance: Highest.
Published by: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor.
Frequency: Monthly.
Release Time: First Friday of the month at 8:30 ET
Coverage: Prior Month.
Web: http://stats.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.toc.htm
Market Reaction:
| Event | Fixed Income | Equities | Dollar |
| Payroll Employment Up | Bond Market Down | Stock Market Up | Dollar Up |
| Unemployment Rate Up | Bond Market Up | Stock Market Down | Dollar Down |
| Payroll Employment Down | Bond Market Up | Stock Market Down | Dollar Down |
| Unemployment Rate Down | Bond Market Down | Stock Market Up | Dollar Up |
Employment news stongly impacts the dollar. A positive jobs report could drive interest rates higher, making the dollar interesting to foreign investors and increasing demand for the greenback. A weak jobs report is bearish for the stock market and puts a downward pressure on interest rates, both of which make the dollar less appealing to foreign investors.
2. International Trade Report
Importance: Moderate
Volatility: Moderate
Source: The Census Bureau and the Bureau of Economic Analysis of the Department of Commerce.
Release Time: 8:30 ET around the 20th of the month.
Coverage: Two months prior
Web: http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/www/press.html
This report reflects trends in the overall trade balance. Export data reflect a strengthening competitive position at home and may also indicate that growing economies abroad are aiding U.S. growth. Imports reflect domestic demand, however this report is relatively late among consumption indicators. The volatility in the monthly trade balance can impact GDP forecasts. The Trade Report gives an early indication of the net export performance each quarter, a somewhat volatile component of GDP.
| Event | Equities | Dollar |
| Trade Balance Up | Stock Market Up | Dollar Up |
| Trade Balance Down | Stock Market Down | Dollar Down |
An improvement in the trade balance is favorable for the dollar - an increase in demand for US goods and services from foreigners will mean more dollars needed by the foreigners to pay for the US products and services.
A worsening trade deficit is bearish for the dollar - in order to buy foreign goods and services Americans have to sell dollars to buy the goods in the local currency.
3. Gross Domestic Product
Release Date: Last Day of the Quarter
Release Time: 8:30AM EST
Coverage: Previous Quarter
Released By: Commerce Department
GDP represents the total market value of all final goods and services produced in a country in a given year. It includes consumption, government purchases, investments, and the trade balance (exports minus imports). It is the broadest indicator of the economic output and growth, and probably the most important indicator of the economic wellbeing of a country.
| Event | Fixed Income | Equities | Dollar |
| GDP Up | Bond Market Down | Stock Market Up | Dollar Up |
| GDP Down | Bond Market Up | Stock Market Down | Dollar Down |
A strong US economy reflected in the GDP report is bullish for the stock market and could drive interest rates higher. Foreign investors will be attracted to opportunities in the stock market and also by the interest rates offered by higher yielding Treasury bills and bonds and these factors will increase demand for the dollar.
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