Most major economies around the globe collect and measure very similar forms of economic data. A trader should understand which economic indicators carry the most weight, in terms of potential to impact the market. Many economic indicators are considered of lesser importance to the immediate price volatility of a currency. However, these same indicators pooled together can collectively make their mark.
A more significant indicator can impact a currency's value. On the flip side, a less significant economic indicator is unlikely to impact the market alone. However, a group of less significant indicators can certainly impact a currency, given that their collective sentiment negatively or positively reflects a nation's economy.
Most traders consider the following 12 US economic indicators of key importance to the value of the US dollar and the overall economic sentiment in the United States. Other countries around the globe will use some of these same economic indicators, perhaps titled slightly differently, and of course will also have their own key indicators, or means of measuring economic data.