Economic Calendar - Currencies

Australia imports mainly machinery and transport equipment (40 percent of total imports), of which road vehicles account for 12 percent, industrial machinery for 6 percent, electrical machinery for 5 percent and telecommunications and sound recording for 5 percent.The country also imports: petroleum (11 percent); manufactured goods (12 percent); chemicals and related products (10 percent); and food and live animals (5 percent). Main import partners are China (23 percent of total imports), the US (11 percent), Japan (7 percent), South Korea, Thailand and Germany (5 percent each) and Malaysia (4 percent).

Australia has been recording consistent trade surpluses since 2017 due to rise in a resource exports like natural gas, metal ores and minerals, coal, coke and briquettes, and rural goods such as meat and cereals. The biggest trade surpluses are recorded with China, Hong Kong and Japan, and New Zealand while the biggest trade deficits are with the United States, Singapore, South Korea, Malaysia, and Thailand.

Rich in natural resources, Australia is a major exporter of commodities. Metalliferous ores and metal scrap account for 29 percent of total exports; coal, coke and briquettes for 15 percent; and gas for 7 percent. The country also exports: food and live animals (14 percent), mainly meat (5 percent) and cereals (4 percent); manufactured goods (6 percent), mainly non-ferrous metals (4 percent); and machinery and transport equipment (6 percent). Australia's largest export markets are China (32 percent of total exports), Japan (16 percent), South Korea (7 percent), the US (5 percent), India (4 percent), New Zealand, Singapore and Taiwan (3 percent each).

In Japan, the Monthly Consumer Confidence survey data is collected by direct visit and covers about 4,700 households consisting of more than two persons. The questionnaire covers four subjects: consumer perceptions of overall livelihood, income growth, employment and willingness to buy durable goods. For each subject an index based on the respondents’ evaluation of what they consider the prospects to be over the next six months is created. The Consumer Confidence Index is the simple average of the four consumer perception indexes. A score above 50 indicates optimism, below 50 shows lack of confidence and 50 indicates neutrality.

In Switzerland, the most important categories in the Consumer Price Index are: Housing & Energy (27%) and Healthcare (17%). Food & Non-alcoholic Beverages account for 13%; Transport for 11%; Recreation & Culture for 7%; Miscellaneous Goods & Services for 6%; Restaurants & Hotels for 6%. The index also includes: Households Goods & Services (5%), Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco (3%), Communications (3%), Clothing & Footwear (3%), and Education (1%).

In Switzerland, the most important categories in the consumer price index are: Housing and energy (27 percent of the total weight) and Healthcare (18 percent). Transport accounts for 10 percent; Food and non-alcoholic beverages for 12 percent; Restaurants and hotels for 7 percent; and Recreation and culture for 7 percent. The index also includes: Miscellaneous goods and services (6 percent); Household goods and services (4 percent); and Clothing and footwear (3 percent). Communication, Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco and Education account for the remaining 6 percent of total weight.

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.

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

In Brazil, industrial production measures the output of businesses integrated in industrial sector of the economy, such as manufacturing, mining, and utilities.

In Mexico, the core inflation rate tracks changes in prices that consumers pay for a basket of goods which excludes some volatile price items.

Inflation Rate MoM measures month over month change in the price of goods and services.

In Brazil, industrial production measures the output of businesses integrated in industrial sector of the economy, such as manufacturing, mining, and utilities.

In Mexico, the most important categories in the CPI basket are Nonfood Goods (19.7 percent of the total weight); Housing (18.7 percent) and Other Services (18.4 percent). Food, Beverages and Tobacco account for 14.8 percent and Energy for 9.5 percent. Others include: Products subsidized by the government (5.3 percent); Education (5.1 percent); Meat and Eggs (4.8 percent) and Fruits and Vegetables (3.7 percent). The CPI index has a base of 100 as of December of 2010. The national index tracks 46 large, medium and small cities.

Exports account for more than 30 percent of the Canadian GDP. The biggest export products are energy (22%of total), crude oil and crude bitumen (14%), cars and parts (19%), and consumer goods (12%). The US is by far the largest destination for Canadian products (76 percent of total exports), followed by China (4.5 percent) and the United Kingdom (2.6 percent).

Between 1980 and 2008, Canada recorded a positive trade balance every year, with an expectation of 1991 and 1992. From 2009 onwards, the trade balance shifted to a deficit. In 2021, it switched again to a trade surplus, with energy products making the largest share of exports. The United States remains the country's biggest trading partner.

Canada imports mainly consumer goods (19% of total), cars and parts (23%), and energy products (7%). Canada's major import partners are the US (49 percent of total imports), China (14 percent), Mexico (5.5 percent), and Germany (3.1 percent).

In Turkey, treasury cash realizations indicate the cash inflows to and outflows from the Treasury’s bank accounts within the scope of the transactions of general budget institutions. Cash Balance is calculated as the sum of taxes, non-tax revenues and privatization and funds income minus the expenditures (both interest and non-interest expenditures).