Spread Betting Tools: Use an Economic Calendar to Plan Your Trades

LONDON, May 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

The financial markets can be an intimidating place for aspiring traders, with many often struggling to understand why the financial markets move the way they do, and what makes a good trading opportunity.

Fortunately, financial spread betting provider Finspreads offers a free monthly economic calendar to help new traders learn the ropes of the financial markets without having to make costly mistakes first.

Here's an overview of some key events that financial traders, including spread bettors, should keep an eye on before taking a position on the markets:

Non-Farm Payrolls

The Non-Farm Payrolls (NFPs) are a monthly figure released by the US Labor Department and indicate the number of paid employees working in the nation's business and government establishments.

The employment rate, another survey released along with the NFPs, indicates the number of unemployed people as a percentage of the US labour force.

Both figures are released as part of a single report in the US on the third Friday of every month, and are considered a vital indicator used to measure the economic health of the US.

GDP Data

GDP or Gross Domestic Product measures the monetary value of all finished goods and services produced within a particular country, by both the private and public sectors, for a specific period of time.

GDP figures are measure a country's economic growth. A positive GDP reading indicates strong growth, and would therefore have a positive impact on the markets, while a negative reading often causes pessimism among investors, triggering a sell-off.

CPI

The CPI, or consumer price index, is one of the most popular indicators used to measure inflation in a country's economy.

CPI measures the average price level of a fixed basket of goods and services that are purchased by consumers in an economy, with quarterly changes in CPI indicating rising or falling inflation.

Simply put, inflation is an increase in the overall prices of goods and services.

Summary

Financial spread betting enables you to take a position on the markets, irrespective of whether prices are expected to rise or fall, giving spread bettors the perfect opportunity to benefit from market volatility. See the Finspreads Economic Calendar for a detailed explanation of key market moving indicators, and how they impact the financial markets.

Spread betting in the UK is currently free from stamp duty and capital gains tax - another distinct advantage over other forms of trading. Remember, however, that tax laws are subject to change and depend on individual circumstances.

Find out more about the benefits of spread betting with Finspreads, one of the leading providers of spread betting in the UK. Alternatively learn more about the differences between spread betting and standard trading.

About Finspreads:

Finspreads is a leading online financial spread betting firm, offering access to thousands of instruments on the world's financial markets.

The company pioneered fully interactive online spread betting in 1999 and continues to invest in technology to ensure that its service remains amongst the market leaders.