The releases that move markets
Inflation reports (such as US CPI and euro-area HICP), US non-farm payrolls, and interest-rate decisions from the Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank regularly cause sharp moves in indices, currencies, gold and bonds. Their dates are published in advance on economic calendars.
What changes in the minutes around a release
Liquidity thins out just before the number, spreads can widen, and the first move is often reversed within minutes. Stops can fill at worse prices than expected (slippage). None of this is a strategy problem — it is the market's mechanics.
Simple rules many traders use
- No new positions in the 15 minutes before and after a high-impact release.
- Reduce size or tighten exposure on open trades ahead of the event.
- Wait for the first 15-minute candle after the release to close before judging direction.
- Never trade the number because you 'feel' what it will be.
Why this is a FOMO trap
A 100-point candle on a news spike looks like money left on the table. Chasing it usually means entering at the worst price with the widest spread. Logging news-time trades separately in your journal quickly shows whether they help or hurt you.