Economic Calendar - Currencies

In Australia, the unemployment rate measures the number of people actively looking for a job as a percentage of the labour force.

In Australia, persons employed part time are those employed persons who usually worked less than 35 hours a week in all jobs.

The labour force participation rates is the number of persons who are employed and unemployed but looking for a job divided by the total working-age population.

In Australia, full time employment change refers to the change in the number of employed persons who usually work 35 hours or more a week (in all jobs) and those who, although usually working fewer than 35 hours a week, work 35 hours or more during the reference week.

In Australia, employment change refers to the absolute change in the number of persons who work for pay or profit, or perform unpaid family work. Estimates include both full-time and part-time employment.

In Switzerland, interest rate decisions are taken by the Swiss National Bank. The official interest rate is the SNB policy rate. The SNB seeks to keep the secured short-term Swiss franc money market rates close to the SNB policy rate. SARON is the most representative of these rates today. As of 13 June 2019, the SNB policy rate replaced the target range for the three-month Swiss franc Libor (London Interbank Offered Rate) previously used in the SNB's monetary policy strategy. The reason for this adjustment was that the Libor was becoming less relevant as the most important reference rate owing to the absence of the underlying money market transactions. From 6 September 2011 to 15 January 2015, the main focus of implementation was on the minimum exchange rate of CHF 1.20 per euro, which the SNB enforced during this period. On 18 December 2014, the SNB decided to impose an interest rate of -0.25% on sight deposit account balances. With the announcement of a negative interest rate, the Libor target range used then was taken into negative territory for the first time, and extended to its usual width of 1 percentage point. On 15 January 2015, the SNB lowered the interest rate on sight deposits to -0.75% and moved the target range downwards to between -1.25% and -0.25%. Negative interest has applied since 22 January 2015 and currently corresponds to the SNB policy rate.

The government budget balance is the difference between government revenues and expenses. The budget is balanced when outlays equal to receipts, the country reports budget surplus when revenues are higher than expenses and deficit when expenses exceed the revenues.

In Turkey, Foreign Exchange Reserves refer to gross foreign exchange reserves held or controlled by the country's central bank, excluding gold.

In Canada, a housing start is defined as the beginning of construction work on the building where the dwelling unit will be located. This can be described in 2 ways: usually, the stage when the concrete has been poured for the whole of the footing around the structure; or an equivalent stage where a basement will not be part of the structure.

Exports of high technology products have been the engine of Japan's economic growth since 1960. Exports account for around 19 percent of total GDP. In 2019 exports fell 5.6 percent from the previous year's record high amid global trade tensions. Main exports were: transport equipment (24 percent of total exports), with motor vehicles accounting for 16 percent; machinery (20 percent) on the back of power generating machine and semicon machinery; electrical machinery (17 percent), such as semiconductors, IC and electrical apparatus; chemicals (11 percent), mainly plastic materials and organic chemicals; and manufactured goods (11 percent), such as iron and steel products, nonferrous metals and manufactures of metals. Japan's main export partners were the US (20 percent), China (19 percent), the EU (12 percent) in particular Germany (3 percent), South Korea (7 percent), Taiwan (6 percent), Hong Kong (5 percent), and Thailand (4 percent).

Japan’s trade balance has fluctuated in recent years partly because of disruptions to production and other problems related to the coronavirus pandemic. In 2022, the country recorded persistent monthly trade deficits as imports surged more than exports. On one hand, the weak yen has helped to drive exports to record highs but on the other, it had made the cost of imported products especially food and energy commodities very expensive. The biggest trade deficits were reported with Australia, China, and Middle East countries while the biggest trade surpluses were recorded with the United States, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Singapore.

In 2019 imports to Japan dropped 5 percent from the previous year's record high amid global trade tensions. Main imports were: mineral fuels (22 percent of total imports), with petroleum accounting for 10 percent and LNG for 6 percent; electrical machinery (15 percent) on the back of telephony, telegraphy and semiconductors; chemicals (10 percent) due to medical products and organic chemicals; machinery (10 percent) in particular computers and units; foodstuff (9 percent) such as fish and fish preparations and meat and meat preparations; manufactured goods (9 percent) on nonferrous metals; and raw materials (6 percent) mainly ore of nonferrous and iron ore and concentrates. Japan's main import partners were China (23 percent), the EU (12 percent) in particular Germany (3 percent), the US (11 percent), Australia (6 percent), South Korea (4 percent), Saudi Arabia (4 percent), Taiwan (4 percent), the UAE (4 percent) and Thailand (4 percent).