Economic Calendar - Currencies

In the United States, the authority to set interest rates is divided between the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve (Board) and the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC). The Board decides on changes in discount rates after recommendations submitted by one or more of the regional Federal Reserve Banks. The FOMC decides on open market operations, including the desired levels of central bank money or the desired federal funds market rate.

The Gross Fixed Investment in Mexico measures the total value of all acquisitions of fixed assets, both tangible and intangible, obtained as a result of a production process. Those are only ones which can be repeatedly used in other production processes in a period longer than one year. The value represents a year over year change of the gross fixed investment, obtained by aggregating the constant values of machinery and equipment of both national and foreign origin and of construction. They are: buildings, machinery, equipment, transport equipment, software, literary originals and other tangible and intangible fixed assets and additions and upgrades meant to prolong the usage or increase capacity. Considering the machinery and equipment of national origin, only new products are counted. Both new and used imported machinery and equipment increase the value of assets available in the country. The construction gross fixed investment index refers to the investment cost valued at the buyers cost.

The Johnson Redbook Index is a sales-weighted of year-over-year same-store sales growth in a sample of large US general merchandise retailers representing about 9,000 stores. Same-store sales are sales in stores continuously open for 12 months or longer. By dollar value, the Index represents over 80% of the equivalent 'official' retail sales series collected and published by the US Department of Commerce. Redbook compiles the Index by collecting and interpreting performance estimates from retailers. The Index and its sub-groups are sales-weighted aggregates of these estimates. Weeks are retail weeks (Sunday to Saturday), and equally weighted within the month.

The Singapore PMI is a key barometer of a manufacturing sector in Singapore. A reading above 50 indicates that the factory activity is generally expanding and below 50 that the activity is generally declining.

IBD/TIPP Economic Optimism Index measures Americans' opinions and outlooks on the economy. The index is based on a nationwide survey of 900 adults and evaluates six-month economic outlook, personal financial outlook, confidence in federal economic policies. Reading above 50 indicates optimism, and below 50 indicates pessimism.

In the United States, job quits are generally voluntary separations initiated by the employee. Therefore, the quits rate can serve as a measure of workers’ willingness or ability to leave jobs. The quits rate is computed by dividing the number of quits by employment and multiplying that quotient by 100.

In the United States, job openings refer to all positions that are open (not filled) on the last business day of the month. Job openings are part of the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS). The survey collects data from around 16400 nonfarm establishments including retailers and manufacturers, as well as federal, state, and local government entities in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The JOLTS assesses the unmet demand for labor in the U.S. labor market and gained attention in 2014 as favorite labor market indicator of Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen.

Measures the weighted-average price of 9 dairy products sold at auction every two weeks.

Stocks of crude oil refer to the weekly change of the crude oil supply situation.

The Australian Industry Index is a monthly index that measures changes in activity in Australia’s industrial sectors. It provides diffusion indices which measure rates of changes in the level of industrial activity – expansion, stability or contraction. A positive reading indicates the activity is expanding; negative indicates contraction. The distance from 0 indicates the strength of the expansion or decline.

The S&P Global Services PMI is based on data compiled from monthly replies to questionnaires sent to a representative panel of purchasing executives in over 400 private sector services firms in Australia. The panel is stratified by GDP and company workforce size. The services sector is divided into the following five broad categories: Transport & Storage, Consumer Services, Information & Communication, Finance & Insurance and Real Estate & Business Services. A reading above 50 indicates an expansion of the manufacturing sector compared to the previous month; below 50 represents a contraction; while 50 indicates no change.

In Australia, the S&P Global Australia Composite PMI Output Index is a GDP-weighted average of the Commonwealth Bank Manufacturing Output Index and the Commonwealth Bank Services Business Activity Index. It tracks changes in business activity in the Australian private sector economy as a whole. A reading above 50 indicates expansion in business activity while below 50 points to contraction. .

The Ai Group Australian Industry Index is a monthly index that measures changes in activity in Australia’s industrial sectors. It provides diffusion indices which measure rates of changes in the level of industrial activity – expansion, stability, or contraction. A positive reading indicates the activity is expanding; negative indicates contraction. The distance from 0 indicates the strength of the expansion or decline.

In Tokyo, the most important categories in the consumer price index are Housing (26 percent of total weight) and Food (25 percent), followed by Culture and recreation (10 percent), Transportation and communication (10 percent), Fuel, light and water charges (6 percent), Miscellaneous (5 percent), Education (5 percent), Clothes and footwear (5 percent), Medical care (4 percent), and Furniture and household utensils (3 percent).

In Tokyo, the core inflation rate tracks changes in prices that consumers pay for a basket of goods which excludes prices of fresh food.