How to Use an Economic Calendar
Understanding the Economic Calendar
An economic calendar displays scheduled economic events, their expected impact, and historical data. For Andorra traders, the most important events are US-based because you trade in USD. Key events include Federal Reserve interest rate decisions (FOMC), Non-Farm Payrolls (NFP), Consumer Price Index (CPI), and Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Each event has a date, time, currency, and volatility rating (low, medium, high).
How to Read the Calendar
Each row shows: the event name, country (e.g., US), date and time, previous value, forecast, and actual value. The 'previous' is the last release, 'forecast' is market expectation, and 'actual' is the new number. When actual differs from forecast, the market moves. For example, if US NFP actual is 300,000 vs forecast 200,000, USD may strengthen. Andorra traders should focus on 'high impact' events (marked red or with three stars) as they cause the biggest price swings.
Setting Up Your Calendar for Andorra
First, change the time zone to CET (UTC+1) for Andorra. Most calendars allow this in settings. Filter events by currency (USD) and impact (high). Bookmark the calendar on your browser or use your broker's integrated tool. Many brokers accepting Skrill or USDT provide built-in calendars. Set notifications for key events so you never miss a release.
Practical Example for Andorra Traders
Suppose the US CPI report is due at 14:30 CET. Before the release, check the forecast (e.g., 0.3% monthly). If you trade EUR/USD, expect volatility. You can either avoid trading during the release or use limit orders to catch breakouts. After the release, compare actual to forecast. If actual is higher, USD strengthens, so you might short EUR/USD. Always use stop-losses during news trades.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Don't trade every event – focus only on high-impact ones. Avoid trading during the exact second of release as spreads widen. Never rely on one calendar; cross-check with another source. Andorra traders should also remember that local holidays (like Andorra's National Day on September 8) may affect liquidity. Always adjust your calendar to CET and practice on a demo account first.