Employment Situation Report / Nonfarm Payrolls (NFP)

Released on the first Friday of every month. This is the ultimate health check on the US labor market. It tells us how many jobs were created (excluding farm workers), the current unemployment rate, and how fast wages are growing. Strong job growth is good for the economy, but if wages grow too fast, it can spark inflation fears.

Producer Price Index (PPI)

Released shortly after the CPI. This measures inflation from the perspective of the seller or manufacturer. It tracks the wholesale costs of raw materials and goods before they hit the retail shelves. A hot PPI reading often means higher consumer prices are coming soon.

Consumer Price Index (CPI)

Usually released in the second week of the month. This measures the average change over time in the prices urban consumers pay for a basket of consumer goods and services (like food, energy, and rent). It is the most widely followed inflation gauge by the general public.

Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE)

Released late in the month. This is the Federal Reserve's preferred measure of inflation. It is broader than the CPI and accounts for changes in consumer behavior (like switching from beef to chicken if beef gets too expensive).

Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI)

Released at the beginning of the month by the Institute for Supply Management (ISM). There is a Manufacturing PMI and a Services PMI. It surveys business executives to see if their sectors are expanding or contracting. A reading above 50 indicates expansion; below 50 indicates contraction.

Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

Released quarterly, with preliminary and final revisions. This is the broadest measure of a country's total economic activity and the total value of all goods and services produced. It officially tells us if the economy is growing or shrinking.

Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) Meetings

The Federal Reserve meets eight times a year to set interest rates. Every other meeting (once a quarter), they release their Summary of Economic Projections (SEP), commonly called the "Dot Plot." This chart shows where every Fed member expects interest rates to be at the end of the year and is a massive catalyst for market trends.

Earnings Season

Occurs four times a year (January, April, July, October). Publicly traded companies release their quarterly financial results. The forward guidance these companies provide often dictates the direction of their respective sectors for the next three months.

Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ)

Tracks the Nasdaq-100 Index, which is heavily weighted toward massive technology, software, and artificial intelligence companies. It is highly sensitive to interest rate changes (like FOMC announcements) because tech companies rely on cheap borrowing to fund growth.

iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM)

Tracks an index of 2,000 small-cap US companies. These smaller businesses are highly sensitive to domestic economic health and borrowing costs, making this ETF a great barometer for the real "Main Street" economy.

SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF (DIA)

Tracks the Dow Jones, consisting of 30 massive, blue-chip American companies (like heavy machinery, banking, and retail). It provides a snapshot of the traditional industrial and value sectors.

iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT)

Tracks long-term US government bonds. It moves inversely to interest rates. When inflation reports (like CPI or PCE) come in hotter than expected, bond yields spike, and this ETF drops sharply.