Economic reports

The most significant economic reports are looked at in the following pages. Traders need to be aware that they have an impact on their trade position.

Interest rate announcements

As you’ll recall from chapter 5, central banks regulate short-term interest rates with the aim of achieving low and stable inflation in the medium term. The Federal Reserve in the United States (‘the Fed’) www.federalreserve.gov is the best known central bank. In the European Monetary Union, the European Central Bank (ECB) www.ecb.int Governing Council usually meets twice a month. At the first of the monthly meetings, the Governing Council makes monetary policy decisions. Following the first meeting, the President of the ECB explains the monetary policy decisions in detail at a press conference.