Forex Education

Fundamental analysis is the study of the core underlying elements that influence the economy of a particular currency. This method of study attempts to predict price action and market trends by analyzing economic indicators, government policy and societal...
Intro to Fundamental Analysis

The US Dollar has maintained a vital presence on the world stage for nearly a century. Most major governments maintain some of their currency reserves held in USD, this means the ripple effect of inflation and other valuation issues connected to the US...
Economics of the USD

The British Pound is third only to the US and the Euro in terms of the currency reserves held in GBP around the globe. The Bank of England has been operating since the late 1600s, but wasn't nationalized until the mid 1900s. The Bank of England is...
Economics of the GBP

The Japanese GDP (Gross Domestic Product) generally ranks among the top 3 – 4 globally. Their currency, the Yen, is the primary Asian representative in the off exchange retail foreign currency market. The Bank of Japan is the stabilizing force behind the...
Economics of the JPY

The Euro finds itself in an interesting position globally. Because the Euro is used by many countries across Europe its global economic impact is substantial. Listed in alphabetical order the Euro is the official currency of the following countries: Austria...
Economics of the EUR

The Swiss economy is largely impacted by the activity of the Swiss National Bank and its active participation in the forex process. Since the US's abandonment of the gold standard in 1971 it has been the policy of the Swiss National Bank to actively push the...
Economics of the CHF

The Australian economy has gathered strength globally in recent decades, particularly since the late 1960s when the Australian Dollar became the official currency of the Commonwealth of Australia. The Aussie Dollar, as it is commonly referred to, is...
Economics of the AUD

The Canadian economy is largely dependent upon the Bank of Canada, as its primary responsibility is to govern the stability of the Canadian Dollar. The Bank of Canada is responsible for determining Canada's monetary policy, which is key to the positioning...
Economics of the CAD

The New Zealand Dollar, often know as the 'kiwi dollar' has been the official currency of New Zealand since 1967 when it replaced the New Zealand Pound. The Reserve Bank of New Zealand is completely government operated and owned, making it unique in...
Economics of the NZD

The central bank (also sometimes referred to as the reserve bank or monetary authority) is the entity responsible for the monetary policy of a country or of a group of member states. Its primary responsibility is to maintain the stability of the national...
Central Banks

One of the keys to understanding global economics can perhaps be found within the core economic indicators that drive market sentiment. Often, these indicators are not exclusive to the US economy. Many economic indicators are used by multiple...
Economic Indicators by Currency or Region

The Census Bureau of the U.S. Department of Commerce releases the Advance Monthly Sales for Retail Trade and Food Services report, aka the retail sales report, about two weeks after the end of the record month at 8:30 am ET. The report presents...
Major US - Advance Monthly Sales for Retail Trade & Food Services

When the price of goods and services rise it is called inflation. Certain levels of inflation in the economy is considered normal and healthy. In contrast, accelerating inflation can cause severe problems, sometimes sparking recession. The Consumer Price Index...
Major US - Consumer & Producer Price Indices

Many different surveys of consumer confidence and sentiment exist. Some research institutions and investment firms have even created their own. Among the best known are the Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index and the University of...
Major US - Consumer Confidence & Sentiment Indices

Most major economies around the globe collect and measure very similar forms of economic data. A trader should understand which economic indicators carry the most weight, in terms of potential to impact the market. Many economic indicators are...
Major US - Fundamental Indicators Introduction

GDP is the broadest, most comprehensive barometer of a country's overall economic condition. Sum of all the market values of all final goods and services produced in a country (domestically) during a specific period using that country's resources...
Major US - Gross Domestic Product

Compiled by the Conference Board and published in its monthly Business Cycle Indicators report. Released to public at 10:00 am ET four to five weeks after the end of the record month. www.conference-board.org has historical data and explanations of...
Major US - Indicators List

The Industrial Production and Capacity Utilization report is assembled and released around the fifteenth of each month by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. It presents the data on the output of the nation's manufacturing, mining, and...
Major US - Industrial Production & Capacity Utilization

The Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) has been called Alan Greenspan's (former Federal Reserve chairman) Desert Island Statistic – the one he would need to conduct policy if he were stranded on a desert island and only had access to one economic...
Major US - Institute for Supply Management Indices

The Manufacturers' Shipments, Inventories, and Orders, or M3, survey is one of the most respected economic indicators. Published monthly by the U.S. Department of Commerce's Census Bureau, the report measures current activity and future...
Major US - Manufacturers Shipments Inventories Orders

Business inventories are "waiting room" goods – products that have been manufactured, processed, or mined that have not yet been sold to the final user. As such, they are a key component of the GDP calculation. GDP is the total amount of...
Major US - Manufacturing & Trade Inventories & Sales

The American Dream of home ownership is one of the primary drivers of the US economy. Housing activity affects the investment (I) component of the aggregate expenditure formula for calculating gross domestic product: C+I+G+(X-M)...
Major US - New Residential Construction

The monthly Personal Income and Outlays report is produced by the Bureau of Economic Analysis and contains great detail on income related measures as well as spending data for almost every imaginable good and service. The Personal Income...
Major US - Personal Income & Outlays

An important economic indicator in terms of market and price impact is the monthly Employment Situation published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). It has been said that no other report has the potential to move the forex market like employment...
Major US - The Employment Situation