Reading | -2 |
Period: 1 quarter
Previous Reading: -6
Forecast:
Actual Reading: -2
A survey of the current state of the business sector in Australia . Based on a survey of hundreds of small and large sized companies, the National Australia Bank delivers monthly comprehensive quarterly reports.
This comprehensive survey primarily provides insight into the state of the Australian economy and puts forth leading indicators that signal its future direction. Thus the survey's findings, if unexpected, have the power to move markets directly.
The National Australia Bank releases both a monthly and quarterly report. The quarterly report is more comprehensive, surveying around 1000 small to large non-farm firms. The quarterly report provides greater detail on the data as well as a short to mid-term outlook of Australia . Because of seasonal volatility and government protections the survey only excludes the farm sector.
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Period:
Previous Reading:
Forecast:
Actual Reading:
It contains relevant articles, speeches, statistical tables, and provides detailed analysis of current and future economic conditions from the bank's viewpoint. Tends to have a mild impact since much of the information is released previously. Source changed release frequency from monthly to quarterly as of Mar 2010. hide
Reading | 1.5% |
Period: Feb
Previous Reading: -0.5%
Forecast: 0.8%
Actual Reading: 1.5%
Evaluates the monthly change in output produced by Japan's service sector. Because this report excludes manufacturing and only measures service industries catering mainly to domestic needs, the Tertiary Industry Index is a key indicator of domestic activity. The index incorporates data from firms involved in wholesale and retail trade, financial services, health care, real estate, leisure and utilities. The report excludes industrial manufacturing sectors that tend to be influenced by foreign demand. The tertiary industry index is posted monthly as a percentage change from the previous month's figure.
hideReading | 29.5bln; 31.6bln |
Period: Feb
Previous Reading: 39.3bln; 24.8bln
Forecast: 45.2
Actual Reading: 29.5bln; 31.6bln
The Current Account summarizes the flow of goods, services, income and transfer payments into and out of the country. The report acts as a line-item record of how the domestic economy interacts with rest of the world. The Current Account is one of the three components that make up a country's Balance of Payments (Financial Account, Capital Account and Current Account), the detailed accounting of all international interactions. Where the other side of the Balance of Payments, Capital and Financial Accounts deal mainly with financial assets and investments, the Current Account gives a detailed breakdown of how the country intermingles with rest of the global economy on a non-investment basis - tracking good and services.
hideReading |
Period: Apr
Previous Reading: 3.650%; 1.90
Forecast:
Actual Reading:
Bonds with the longest maturity. hide
Reading | 3,250%; 1.84 |
Period:
Previous Reading: 3.191%; 1.81
Forecast:
Actual Reading: 3,250%; 1.84
10-y Bond Auction is a leading market demand and profitability indicator. Profit falls compared to the previous auctions generally have a favourable influence on the currency. hide
Reading | 15.5 |
Period: Apr
Previous Reading: 3.2
Forecast: 1.5
Actual Reading: 15.5
It is a survey conducted by the Philadelphia Fed questioning manufacturers in the Third Federal Reserve District on general business conditions. Conducted since 1968, the "Philly Fed" survey is an established report, valued for its timeliness, scope of coverage and tendency to forecast developments in the market moving ISM Manufacturing figure.
Higher Philadelphia Fed Survey figures indicate a positive outlook from manufacturers suggesting increased production. Higher production contributes to economic growth, which is generally bullish for the dollar.
Results are calculated as the difference between percentage of positive and negative scores; zero acts as the centerline point.
hideReading | 212K |
Period: Apr
Previous Reading: 212K
Forecast: 214K
Actual Reading: 212K
The indicator shows the number of unemployed people in the USA.
hideReading | 1812K |
Period:
Previous Reading: 1810K
Forecast: 1818K
Actual Reading: 1812K
Continuing claims refers to unemployed workers that qualify for benefits under unemployment insurance. In order to be included in continuing claims, the person must have been covered by unemployment insurance and be currently receiving benefits. Data on unemployment claims is published by the Department of Labor on a weekly basis, allowing for frequent updates on the levels of unemployment.
hideReading | 4.19M; -4.3% |
Period: Mar
Previous Reading: 4.38M; 9.5%
Forecast: 4.20M
Actual Reading: 4.19M; -4.3%
Records sales of previously owned homes in the United States . This report provides a fairly accurate assessment of housing market conditions, and because of the sensitivity of the housing market to business cycle twists, it can be an important indicator of overall conditions at times when housing is particularly important to the economy.
While used home sales are not counted in GDP, they do affect the United States economy. Sellers of used homes often use capital gains from property sales on consumption that stimulate the economy. Higher levels of consumer spending may also increase inflationary pressures, even as they help grow the economy.
The existing home sales report is not as timely as other housing indicators like New Home Sales or Building Permits. By the time the Existing Home Sales are recorded, market conditions may have changed.
The headline is the total value of properties sold.
hideReading | 102.4; -0.3% |
Period: Mar
Previous Reading: 102.8; 0.2%
Forecast: ; -0.1%
Actual Reading: 102.4; -0.3%
The Index includes account inventory ratios, machinery orders, stock prices and other leading economic indicators. As the aggregate of many leading indices the Leading Economic Index provides a forecast of the future state of the domestic economy and is thought to predict activity that will occur 6-9 months after the reporting period.
The index operates on a 1-100 scale, where a value lower than 50 means that most indictors are negative and a value higher than 50 means most indicators are positive. In both cases a greater distance from the midpoint (50) means that the indicators are more strongly positive or negative.
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Period: Apr
Previous Reading: -14.9
Forecast:
Actual Reading:
Consumer confidence is a measure of popular sentiment concerning the Eurozone economy. The figure is derived from a survey that asks thousands of consumers about personal expenditure patterns and inflationary expectations. In general, rising consumer confidence precedes increased consumer spending, which drives both economic growth and inflation. Even though t he Italian economy is heavily driven by its export sector, domestic consumer confidence is an important gauge of overall economic activity and future inflationary pressures.
A headline figure above 50 shows positive consumer sentiment, while a number below 50 shows negative consumer sentiment; the greater the distance, the stronger the sentiment.
Reading | 50bln |
Period: Apr
Previous Reading: 24
Forecast: 54
Actual Reading: 50bln
Weekly report about natural gas storage change in the USA.
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Period: Apr
Previous Reading: -21
Forecast:
Actual Reading:
Consumer Confidence measures the level of confidence households have in economic performance. Generally rising consumer confidence acts as a precursor to higher consumer expenditures which drive economic expansion. The report also breaks down results into parts of the economy, giving a detailed picture of the consumer climate in Great Britain. GfK Consumer Confidence is one of the most closely watched surveys. The survey results are quantified into index where 0 represents long term Consumer Confidence averages. The headline figure is expressed in percentage change. On a global basis, the indicator is very important for the economy, as it reflects consumers sentiments which formed the major portion of Great Britain GDP. The survey is conducted monthly by GfK, a market research organization, on behalf of the EU commission.
hideReading | 2.7% |
Period: Mar
Previous Reading: 2.8%
Forecast: 2.7%
Actual Reading: 2.7%
National Consumer Price Index (CPI) is the key gauge for inflation in Japan. Simply put, inflation reflects a decline in the purchasing power of the Yen, where each Yen buys fewer goods and services. In terms of measuring inflation, CPI is the most obvious way to quantify changes in purchasing power. The report tracks changes in the price of a basket of goods and services that a typical Japanese household might purchase. An increase in the index indicates that it takes more Yen to purchase this same set of basic consumer items.
Markets will typically pay more attention to "CPI excluding Fresh Food," because it excludes volatile food prices that can distort overall CPI. The headline figure for CPI is the percentage change in the index on a month to month or year to year basis.
As the most important indicator of inflation, CPI figures are closely followed by the Bank of Japan. Rising Consumer Prices may prompt the BoJ to raise interest rates in order to manage inflation and slow economic growth. Higher interest rates make holding the Yen more attractive to foreign investors, and this higher level of demand will place upward pressure on the value of the Yen.
hideReading | 2.6% |
Period: Mar
Previous Reading: 2.8%
Forecast: 2.7%
Actual Reading: 2.6%
National Consumer Price Index (CPI) is the key gauge for inflation in Japan. Simply put, inflation reflects a decline in the purchasing power of the Yen, where each Yen buys fewer goods and services. In terms of measuring inflation, CPI is the most obvious way to quantify changes in purchasing power. The report tracks changes in the price of a basket of goods and services that a typical Japanese household might purchase. An increase in the index indicates that it takes more Yen to purchase this same set of basic consumer items.
Markets will typically pay more attention to "CPI excluding Fresh Food," because it excludes volatile food prices that can distort overall CPI. The headline figure for CPI is the percentage change in the index on a month to month or year to year basis.
As the most important indicator of inflation, CPI figures are closely followed by the Bank of Japan. Rising Consumer Prices may prompt the BoJ to raise interest rates in order to manage inflation and slow economic growth. Higher interest rates make holding the Yen more attractive to foreign investors, and this higher level of demand will place upward pressure on the value of the Yen.
hideReading | 0.0%; 0.8% |
Period: Mar
Previous Reading: 0.1%; -0.3%
Forecast: 0.3%
Actual Reading: 0.0%; 0.8%
Change in the total value of inflation-adjusted sales at the retail level with auto fuel. It's the primary gauge of consumer spending, which accounts for the majority of overall economic activity.
hideReading | -0.3%; 0.4% |
Period: Mar
Previous Reading: 0.3%; -0.4%
Forecast:
Actual Reading: -0.3%; 0.4%
A monthly measurement of all goods sold by retailers based on a sampling of retail stores of different types and sizes. The retail sales index is often taken as an indicator of consumer confidence.
hideReading | 0.2%; -2.9% |
Period: Mar
Previous Reading: -0.4%; -4.1%
Forecast: 0.0%
Actual Reading: 0.2%; -2.9%
Measures changes in the selling prices producers charge for goods and services, and well as tracks how prices feed through the production process. Because producers tend to pass on higher costs to consumers as higher retail prices, the PPI is valuable as an early indicator of inflation. Simply put, inflation reflects a decline in the purchasing power of the Dollar, where each dollar buys fewer goods and services. The report also gives insight into how higher prices from raw materials flow toward the final product.
A rise in PPI signals an increase in inflationary pressures. Given the economic instability associated with rising price levels, the Fed often will raise interest rates to check inflation. A low or falling PPI is indicative of declining prices, and may suggest an economic slowdown.
The headline figure is expressed in percentage change of producer price.
Notes: The PPI records prices at various stages of production: raw goods, intermediate goods and finished goods. Though intermediate and crude goods prices do provide insight for future inflationary pressure, it is the price of finished goods that generates most interest for market participants. The finished goods data is able to gauge price pressure before the goods reach the retail market.
hideReading | 619 |
Period: Apr
Previous Reading: 617
Forecast:
Actual Reading: 619
The Baker Hughes rig count is an important business barometer for the oil drilling industry. When drilling rigs are active they consume products and services produced by the oil service industry. The active rig count acts as a leading indicator of demand for oil products. hide
Country of origin: US
Regulation: NFA, CFTC, and FSA
Payment options: bank transfer, debit card, Neteller, Skrill, and Union Pay
Minimum account size: $50
Minimum lot size: 0.01
Leverage: to 1:200
Spreads: from 0.5 pips
FXCM is an experienced financial services broker. The company was founded in 1999 and began to gain popularity rapidly. In 2002, the American broker set about promoting its services among European traders. FXCM has regional offices and branches practically in all of the world’s megacities such as Paris, London, Sydney, and Dubai.
Despite its successful history, the company is no longer popular. Nowadays, FXCM has poor ratings. For example, its official website does not have a Russian language version, while users from the CIS cannot be registered on the website.
The list of trading instruments is limited and gives users few trading options. The total number of assets are 55. They include 39 currency pairs, 12 types of a CFD, as well as precious metals and energy commodities.
Trading platforms
FXCM offers its clients trading on three different platforms. They are NinjaTrader, Trading Station, and MetaTrader 4, the world’s most popular platform.
Moreover, the company provides access to ZuluTrade, a social trading platform with the incorporated technology of copying deals. In order to work on ZuluTrade, a user needs to be registered and connected to this platform. All deals are managed directly on FXCM.
FXCM advantages and disadvantages
The advantages of the broker are the following:
There are some significant disadvantages:
Other information
The company provides customer support via telephone, email, and online chat. As a rule, managers answer all clients’ questions, though with a delay.
The analytical section is completely in English. It contains an economic calendar, a regularly updated news feed, and technical analysis.