Fed Governor Kroszner Speaks

Federal Reserve Governor and FOMC voting member Randall Kroszner will speak at the International Bankers\' annual breakfast, in Washington DC. FOMC voting members are responsible for setting the nation\'s short term interest rate, so traders scrutinize their speeches closely for clues regarding future monetary policy.

Crude Oil Inventories

The Energy Information Administration's (EIA) Crude Oil Inventories measures the weekly increase in barrels of commercial crude oil held in inventory by US firms. The level of inventories influences the price of petroleum products, which can have an impact on inflation and other economic forces.

ISM Non-Manufacturing Index

The Institute of Supply Management (ISM) Non-Manufacturing Index measures the activity level of purchasing managers in the services sector, with a reading above 50 indicating expansion. A rising trend has a positive effect on the nation\'s currency. To produce the index, purchasing managers are surveyed on a number of subjects including employment, production, new orders, supplier deliveries, and inventories. Traders watch these surveys closely because purchasing managers, by virtue of their jobs, have early access to data about their company’s performance, which can be a leading indicator of overall economic performance.

Nonfarm Productivity q/q

Measures the annualized quarterly growth in labor efficiency for producing goods and services outside the farming sector.

Unit Labor Costs q/q

Unemployment Claims

Measures the number of individuals who filed for unemployment insurance for the first time over the past week. A falling trend has a positive effect on the nation's currency. Working people tend to spend more, and consumer spending is a major driver of the economy. However, unemployment usually draws little attention because traders view it as a lagging indicator.

ECB President Trichet Speaks

Interest Rate Announcement

Each month the Bank of Japan (BOJ) Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) votes on where to set the nation\'s short term interest rate (i.e., \"overnight call rate\"). Shortly after each vote, the MPC releases a statement that contains the outcome of their vote. While no commentary is provided, a press conference regarding the economic conditions that effected their decision is held a few hours afterward. A rising trend in interest rates has a positive effect on the nation\'s currency. Short term rates are the paramount factor in currency valuation; traders look at most other indicators merely to predict how interest rates may change in the future. High interest rates attract foreigners looking for the best \"risk-free\" return on their money, which can dramatically increases demand for the nation\'s currency. The decision on where to set interest rates depends mostly on inflation. The primary objective of the central bank is to achieve price stability; when inflation rises above an annualized rate of approximately 2%, they will respond by raising interest rates in an attempt to bring prices down.

German Factory Orders m/m

Manufacturing Production m/m

Measures the total value of output produced by manufacturers. Manufacturing Production differs from Industrial Production in that it only measures the 13 sub-sectors of production that relate directly to manufacturing. Manufacturing industries make up about 80% of total Industrial Production.