US market guide

Top 10 macro events that move US markets

A quiet US trading day can change when an announcement challenges what investors expected. Jobs and inflation affect the outlook for interest rates; earnings affect the outlook for profits. You cannot follow every release, but you can keep a useful checklist of scheduled events on your calendar.

This is an editorial calendar checklist, not an official or scientific ranking of price moves. We start with jobs, inflation and Fed policy, then add company earnings and overseas decisions that can affect US portfolios. Those extra picks are not US macroeconomic statistics. The list reflects our available pages, is not exhaustive, and does not predict the size or direction of a market move.

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  1. Nonfarm Payrolls: the US jobs report

    Nonfarm Payrolls (NFP) counts jobs on employer payrolls outside farming. It is part of the Employment Situation report, which also provides unemployment and wage information. Read the headline alongside revisions to earlier months rather than treating one number as the whole story.

    Hiring helps reveal whether households and businesses have room to keep spending. A surprise can change expectations for Federal Reserve policy, Treasury bond yields and the dollar. Strong hiring is not automatically good for stocks if investors think it will keep interest rates higher.

    See Nonfarm Payroll Release Dates

    Keep the jobs announcement on your calendar before the US session begins.

  2. US CPI: consumer price inflation

    The Consumer Price Index (CPI) tracks changes in prices paid by consumers. The report includes a broad inflation measure and a core measure excluding food and energy. Monthly changes help show whether price pressure is easing or building.

    Unexpected inflation can alter the interest-rate path investors expect from the Fed. That can reprice bonds, the dollar and stocks, especially companies whose value depends heavily on future profits. Inflation news attracts particular attention when bringing prices under control is the main policy concern.

    See US CPI Release Dates

    Calendar the release date instead of relying on a remembered monthly routine.

  3. FOMC: the Federal Reserve policy decision

    The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) is the Fed panel that sets US monetary policy. Its scheduled decision tells investors whether the policy rate is changing. The statement and explanations can matter even when the rate stays the same.

    Borrowing costs influence consumers, companies and the value investors put on future earnings. Markets therefore react to both the decision and clues about what comes next. An expected rate move can still produce a surprise if the message is different from what investors had assumed.

    See FOMC Meeting Dates

    Use the Fed schedule to plan around the decision rather than a guessed date.

  4. Apple earnings: consumer and technology demand

    Apple earnings report how the business performed and provide context on demand for its devices and services. Investors watch revenue, profitability and management commentary, not just whether one headline number beats forecasts.

    Apple is a large component of major US stock indexes. A substantial price reaction can affect the index as well as suppliers and other technology shares. Its results are a company-level signal, not a complete measure of consumer spending.

    See Apple Earnings Date

    Add the reporting date so an after-hours announcement is not a surprise.

  5. Microsoft earnings: cloud and AI spending

    Microsoft reports sales and profits across businesses including software and cloud services. Investors also look at spending on artificial intelligence (AI), infrastructure and the company's outlook for future demand.

    Its size gives its shares influence over broad US indexes. Cloud growth or investment commentary can change expectations for other technology businesses too. High spending can be read as an opportunity or a cost depending on expected returns.

    See Microsoft Earnings Date

    Keep the earnings date next to the macro releases you already follow.

  6. Alphabet earnings: advertising and investment

    Alphabet, Google's parent company, reports results from advertising, cloud services and other businesses. Advertising sales offer one view of business demand; investment plans show where management is committing future resources.

    A surprise can move Alphabet shares and influence the wider technology sector. Investors weigh growth against spending and competition. Treat it as evidence about one large company, not a standalone forecast for the US economy.

    See Alphabet Earnings Date

    Track the announcement date without maintaining a separate earnings spreadsheet.

  7. Tesla earnings: deliveries, margins and expectations

    Tesla earnings describe the financial results behind its vehicle and other businesses. Investors compare sales, profit margins and management's outlook with expectations that may already be reflected in the share price.

    The stock can react sharply when the report changes views about demand, pricing or future investment. That can affect US trading sentiment and related shares, but it is not a substitute for economy-wide manufacturing data.

    See Tesla Earnings Date

    Watch the earnings session as well as the date before planning a trade.

  8. ECB decisions: Europe's policy reaches US markets

    The European Central Bank (ECB) sets monetary policy for the euro area. Its decisions and guidance influence euro borrowing costs and expectations for European growth.

    Changes in the euro against the dollar can affect US multinationals and currency markets. European policy surprises can also reach US stock futures before the cash market opens. Overseas does not mean irrelevant to a US portfolio.

    See ECB Meeting Dates

    Keep European decision dates visible alongside your US trading calendar.

  9. Bank of Japan decisions: yen and funding conditions

    The Bank of Japan (BoJ) decides Japan's monetary policy. A change in its interest-rate outlook can alter expectations for the yen and Japanese bond yields.

    Some investors borrow in a lower-yielding currency to fund other investments, a practice called a carry trade. Shifts in yen funding costs or exchange rates can prompt position changes across markets, including US assets. The spillover depends on positioning and the size of the surprise.

    See Bank of Japan Meeting Dates

    Use the Japan schedule to avoid missing a decision outside US market hours.

  10. The wider US earnings calendar

    Earnings season is a sequence of company reports, not one announcement. The wider calendar helps you find the reporting dates for supported stocks beyond the large names above.

    Several reports together can change expectations for sector profits or demand. Looking across companies is more useful than assuming one result speaks for the whole market. Start with businesses you own or follow rather than every ticker.

    See Stock Earnings Dates

    Find your stocks, then keep their reporting dates in the same calendar.

Also watched, not on this list yet

These releases matter too. We do not currently publish dedicated schedule pages for them.

GDP
Gross domestic product measures economy-wide output. Early estimates can change as more information arrives.
Employment Cost Index
This measure tracks wages and benefits. It helps investors assess pressure on employers' labor costs.
Retail sales
Retail sales show spending at retailers. They offer a view of demand but do not cover all consumer services.
ISM Manufacturing PMI
The Institute for Supply Management's purchasing managers' index surveys factory activity. It provides clues about orders, production and business conditions.
Durable-goods orders
Orders for long-lasting manufactured goods offer clues about investment. Large transport orders can make the headline uneven.
Industrial production
This tracks output from factories, mines and utilities. It helps show whether the production side of the economy is gaining momentum.
PPI
The Producer Price Index measures prices received by producers. Its coverage differs from consumer inflation.
Productivity
Output per hour worked helps explain how businesses can grow while managing costs. It can influence views about profits and inflation.
Weekly jobless claims
New applications for unemployment benefits give a frequent signal about layoffs. One week can be noisy, so investors also watch the trend.

Free trial

Put market-moving dates in your calendar

Follow central-bank decisions, US inflation and jobs reports, and stock earnings in Google Calendar, Apple Calendar or Outlook. Subscribe once; your calendar app checks the feed for new dates and schedule changes.

Try Pro free for 30 days, no card

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Questions about market events

What is a macroeconomic event?

A macroeconomic event is an announcement about the wider economy or economic policy, such as an inflation report or interest-rate decision. Company earnings are different: they describe one business, although large companies can influence entire indexes.

Is this a scientific ranking?

This is an editorial calendar checklist, not an official or scientific ranking of price moves. We start with jobs, inflation and Fed policy, then add company earnings and overseas decisions that can affect US portfolios. Those extra picks are not US macroeconomic statistics. The list reflects our available pages, is not exhaustive, and does not predict the size or direction of a market move.

Why can good economic news send stocks down?

Investors compare the news with what they expected. Strong growth can help business profits but also raise expectations for interest rates. The balance changes with inflation, the business cycle and what central banks are trying to achieve.

How do I add these dates to Google, Apple or Outlook?

Choose an Econ Calendar plan that covers the events you need, then subscribe to your private ICS feed in your calendar app. Our calendar setup guides explain the steps. Use a subscription rather than a one-time file import to receive future changes.

Will the calendar update automatically?

A subscribed feed can receive new dates and schedule changes without another import. Your calendar app controls how often it checks the feed, so updates may not appear immediately. Open the linked schedule pages to check the latest dates.