Economic Event Definitions
A plain-English glossary of every U.S. economic release on the calendar — what it measures, why investors and the Federal Reserve watch it, when it’s published, and what to watch inside it. 68 indicators, with more added over time.
Market-Moving Indicators
The releases most likely to move stocks, bonds, the dollar and Fed-rate expectations the instant they print.
Advance International Trade in GoodsMonthly · Census BureauConsumer ConfidenceConference Board IndexMonthly · The Conference BoardConsumer Price IndexCPI / InflationMonthly · Bureau of Labor StatisticsDurable Goods OrdersMonthly · Census BureauEIA Petroleum Status ReportCrude Oil InventoriesWeekly · Energy Information AdministrationEmployment SituationNonfarm Payrolls / Jobs ReportMonthly · Bureau of Labor StatisticsExisting Home SalesMonthly · National Association of RealtorsFed Chair Press Conference8 times per year · Federal ReserveFOMC Meeting & Rate DecisionFed Decision / Federal Funds Rate8 times per year · Federal ReserveFOMC Minutes8 times per year · Federal ReserveGross Domestic ProductGDPQuarterly (3 estimates) · Bureau of Economic AnalysisHousing Starts & PermitsNew Residential ConstructionMonthly · Census BureauIndustrial Production & Capacity UtilizationMonthly · Federal ReserveInternational Trade in Goods & ServicesTrade BalanceMonthly · Census Bureau / BEAISM Manufacturing IndexISM Manufacturing PMIMonthly · Institute for Supply ManagementJobless ClaimsInitial & Continuing ClaimsWeekly · Department of LaborNew Home SalesMonthly · Census BureauOPEC MeetingRoughly monthly · Organization of the Petroleum Exporting CountriesPersonal Income & OutlaysPCE Price IndexMonthly · Bureau of Economic AnalysisProducer Price IndexPPI — Final DemandMonthly · Bureau of Labor StatisticsRetail SalesAdvance Monthly Retail SalesMonthly · Census BureauTreasury Refunding AnnouncementQuarterly RefundingQuarterly · U.S. Treasury
Notable Releases
Second-tier reports that round out the macro picture and can still jolt markets when they surprise.
ADP Employment ReportMonthly · ADP Research InstituteBeige Book8 times per year · Federal ReserveBusiness InventoriesMonthly · Census BureauCase-Shiller Home Price IndexS&P CoreLogic Case-ShillerMonthly (2-month lag) · S&P Dow Jones IndicesChicago PMIChicago Business BarometerMonthly · ISM-Chicago / MNIConstruction SpendingMonthly · Census BureauConsumer SentimentUniversity of MichiganMonthly (prelim + final) · University of MichiganEIA Natural Gas ReportNatural Gas StorageWeekly · Energy Information AdministrationEmpire State Manufacturing IndexMonthly · Federal Reserve Bank of New YorkEmployment Cost IndexECIQuarterly · Bureau of Labor StatisticsFactory OrdersMonthly · Census BureauFed Balance SheetH.4.1Weekly · Federal ReserveHousing Market IndexNAHB / Wells Fargo HMIMonthly · National Association of Home BuildersImport & Export PricesMonthly · Bureau of Labor StatisticsISM Services IndexISM Services PMIMonthly · Institute for Supply ManagementJOLTS Job OpeningsJOLTSMonthly · Bureau of Labor StatisticsMotor Vehicle SalesMonthly · Automakers / BEAPending Home Sales IndexMonthly · National Association of RealtorsPhiladelphia Fed Manufacturing IndexPhilly FedMonthly · Federal Reserve Bank of PhiladelphiaPMI Composite FlashS&P Global Flash PMIMonthly · S&P GlobalPMI Manufacturing FinalMonthly · S&P GlobalProductivity & CostsUnit Labor CostsQuarterly · Bureau of Labor StatisticsTreasury International CapitalTICMonthly · U.S. TreasuryTreasury StatementMonthly Budget StatementMonthly · U.S. Treasury
Other Key Indicators
Niche, regional and high-frequency gauges that specialists watch for early signals before the big reports.
Baker Hughes Rig CountWeekly · Baker HughesChallenger Job-Cut ReportMonthly · Challenger, Gray & ChristmasChicago Fed National Activity IndexCFNAIMonthly · Federal Reserve Bank of ChicagoConsumer CreditG.19Monthly · Federal ReserveCorporate ProfitsQuarterly · Bureau of Economic AnalysisCurrent AccountQuarterly · Bureau of Economic AnalysisDallas Fed Manufacturing SurveyMonthly · Federal Reserve Bank of DallasE-Commerce Retail SalesQuarterly · Census BureauFHFA House Price IndexMonthly · Federal Housing Finance AgencyKansas City Fed Manufacturing IndexMonthly · Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas CityLeading Economic IndexLEIMonthly · The Conference BoardMBA Mortgage ApplicationsWeekly · Mortgage Bankers AssociationMoney SupplyM2 / H.6Weekly & monthly · Federal ReserveNFIB Small Business Optimism IndexMonthly · National Federation of Independent BusinessQuarterly Services SurveyQSSQuarterly · Census BureauRedbookJohnson Redbook IndexWeekly · Redbook ResearchRetail InventoriesMonthly · Census BureauRichmond Fed Manufacturing IndexMonthly · Federal Reserve Bank of RichmondWholesale InventoriesMonthly · Census Bureau
Treasury Events
The U.S. Treasury’s auction, settlement and financing calendar — the plumbing that drives the bond market.