Day Traders Sweat: This Week’s Market-Moving News

Existing Home Sales: What, Are We All Homeowners Now?

This week’s market-moving news kicks off with the release of existing home sales on Tuesday at 7am PST. This news is important because it gives investors a sense of how strong the housing market is. If lots of people are buying existing homes, it’s a good sign for the economy. But if the numbers are down, it could mean trouble. One can only hope that the data isn’t too depressing, or else we’ll all be left wondering whether we’re better off renting or trying to buy a home with a massive mortgage.

FOMC Meeting Minutes: Is the Fed Really Just One Big Chatroom?

On Wednesday at 11am PST, the FOMC (that’s the Federal Open Market Committee, for all you non-econ nerds) releases their meeting minutes. Basically, this is a summary of what was discussed at their latest powwow. These minutes can give traders a sense of whether the Fed is thinking about raising interest rates (which is usually bad for stocks) or leaving them low (which is usually good for stocks). But let’s be real: do these folks really need a whole meeting to chat about what they’re thinking? Maybe they should just start a group chat like the rest of us.

Initial Jobless Claims: Unemployment Claims, or Just a Sign That We All Need a Mental Health Day?

On Thursday premarket at 5:30am PST, the latest data on initial jobless claims will be released. This news tells us how many people have filed for unemployment benefits for the first time. If the numbers are down, it’s a good sign for the economy (people are getting jobs!). But if the numbers are up, it’s a bad sign (people are losing jobs). Of course, these days it’s hard to know whether high jobless claims are a reflection of a weak economy or just a reflection of the fact that we all need a mental health day (or two, or ten).

Core PCE and New Home Sales: Because Who Needs a Steady Heartbeat Anyway?

On Friday, we get a double whammy of news. First, at premarket 5:30am PST, we get the latest data on core PCE. This is a fancy way of saying that we’ll find out how much prices are going up (inflation). If the numbers are higher than expected, it could be a sign that the Fed will raise interest rates, which would be bad for stocks. Then, at 7am PST, we get the latest data on new home sales. This news is similar to the existing home sales news from earlier in the week, but focuses on new homes instead. All of this news is important for day traders because it could affect the stock market’s performance. So, who needs a steady heartbeat when you can just watch the stock market ticker and feel your blood pressure rise?

Don’t Panic, But Maybe Have a Drink (or Three)

All joking aside, these market-moving news releases can be stressful for day traders. But it’s important to remember that the stock market is a long-term game, and that no single news release is going to make or break your portfolio. A prudent trader might choose to be flat (not taking any positions) during these news releases, or even stay out of the market entirely on Wednesday when the FOMC meeting minutes are released. And if you’re feeling particularly stressed, there’s always the option to have a drink (or three) and wait for the storm to pass. Cheers.