How to Use an Economic Calendar
What Is an Economic Calendar?
An economic calendar lists scheduled economic releases, central bank meetings, and political events that can move currency prices. Each event is marked with a date, time, country, and a volatility rating (usually low, medium, or high). For Belarus traders, the most important events include the National Bank of Belarus key rate decision, Belarus GDP data, and inflation reports. Global events like US Federal Reserve meetings, European Central Bank decisions, and Russian ruble events also have a big impact because of Belarus’s trade ties.
How to Read the Calendar
When you open the calendar, you’ll see columns for Date, Time, Currency, Event, Actual, Forecast, and Previous. The “Actual” value is the real data released, “Forecast” is what analysts expected, and “Previous” is the last reading. If the actual number differs significantly from the forecast, the market often moves sharply. For example, if Belarus inflation comes in much higher than expected, the BYN could strengthen as the central bank may raise rates. You should focus on high-impact events (marked red or with a bell icon) and avoid trading 30 minutes before and after the release unless you are an experienced news trader.
Setting Up the Calendar for Belarus
To make the calendar useful for you, set the time zone to Minsk (UTC+3) and filter events by importance. Most calendars allow you to select specific currencies. For a Belarus trader, you should watch USD, EUR, RUB, and BYN events. Also add filters for low, medium, and high impact. High-impact events like NFP or central bank rate decisions can cause 50-100 pip moves in major pairs. Medium-impact events like retail sales or industrial production can move the market 20-40 pips. Low-impact events are usually safe to ignore unless you are a scalper.
Practical Example for Belarus Traders
Suppose the calendar shows the National Bank of Belarus interest rate decision on Friday at 14:00 Minsk time. The forecast is no change, but the previous rate was 10%. If the bank surprises with a rate hike to 11%, the BYN may strengthen against the USD. You could plan to buy USD/BYN before the announcement if you expect a hike, or wait for the news and trade the breakout. Always use stop-losses because news events can cause slippage. Many Belarus traders use USDT deposits for quick funding before such events, as bank transfers can take 1-2 business days.