How to Use an Economic Calendar
What Is an Economic Calendar?
An economic calendar lists the date, time, country, event name, previous value, forecast, and actual result of key economic indicators. Examples include Non-Farm Payrolls, CPI, GDP, interest rate decisions, and retail sales. Each event has a volatility rating (low, medium, high) that tells you how much the market might move.
Why Mongolian Traders Need It
Forex markets are driven by news. Without checking the calendar, you risk entering a trade just before a high-impact release that reverses your position. For example, if you trade USD/MNT and the US Federal Reserve announces an interest rate hike, the dollar could strengthen sharply. Knowing this in advance lets you avoid trading or set stop-losses wider.
How to Read the Calendar
Most calendars show: Date & Time (set to Ulaanbaatar time UTC+8), Country Flag, Event Name, Previous Result, Forecast, and Actual Result. The ‘Previous’ is the last release, ‘Forecast’ is the market expectation, and ‘Actual’ is the real number. If Actual differs from Forecast, the market moves. A bigger difference = bigger move.
How to Use It in Your Trading
Step 1: Check the calendar every morning in Ulaanbaatar time. Step 2: Note high-impact events for the pairs you trade. Step 3: Decide whether to trade before, during, or after the event. Many experienced Mongolian traders avoid trading 30 minutes before and after major news to avoid slippage. Step 4: Adjust your stop-loss and take-profit levels to account for expected volatility.
Example for Mongolian Traders
Suppose the US Non-Farm Payrolls report is due at 20:30 Ulaanbaatar time (8:30 PM). You are trading USD/MNT. The forecast is 200k jobs, but the actual is 300k. The dollar likely rallies. If you were long USD/MNT, you profit. If you were short, you lose. By checking the calendar, you could have reduced position size or placed a protective stop.