Economic calendar

GDP The United Kingdom is the sixth largest economy in the world and the second largest in Europe after Germany. The Services sector is the most important and accounts for 79 percent to total GDP. The biggest segments within Services are: government, education and health (19 percent of total GDP); real estate (12 percent); professional, scientific and technical activities and administrative and support services (12 percent); wholesale and retail trade (11 percent); and financial and insurance (8 percent). Industry accounts for 21 percent of the GDP and the largest segments within this sector are: manufacturing (10 percent of total GDP) and construction (6 percent). The Agriculture sector accounts for only 1 percent of GDP.

The services sector is the most important and account for 79 percent of United Kingdom's GDP. The biggest segments within services are: government, education and health (19 percent of total GDP); real estate (12 percent); professional, scientific and technical activities and administrative and support services (12 percent); wholesale and retail trade (11 percent); and financial and insurance (8 percent). Industry accounts for 21 percent of the GDP and the largest segments within this sector are: manufacturing (10 percent of total GDP) and construction (6 percent). The Agriculture sector accounts for only 1 percent of GDP. Composition of the GDP on the expenditure side: household consumption (65 percent), government expenditure (20 percent) and gross fixed capital formation (17 percent). Exports of goods and services account for 28 percent of GDP while imports account for 30 percent, subtracting 2 percent from GDP.

In the UK, business investment is net investment by private and public corporations. These include investments in transport, information and communication technology (ICT) equipment, other machinery and equipment, cultivated assets, intellectual property products (IPP, which includes investment in software, research and development, artistic originals and mineral exploration), and buildings and other structures. It does not include investment by central or local government, investment in dwellings, or the costs associated with the transfer of non-produced assets (such as land).

GDP measures the value of goods and services produced in the UK. The reading refers to a month-over-month growth rate.

GDP measures the value of goods and services produced in the UK. The reading refers to a three-month growth rate, which is a better indicator of the underlying growth in GDP as the monthly figure is likely to be more volatile. In this sense, the monthly release can be thought of as a monthly update on three months’ worth of data on the economy, rather than a figure representing the economy in just one month. Rolling three-month data is calculated by comparing growth in a three-month period with growth in the previous three-month period, for example growth in March to May compared with the previous December to February.

Manufacturing production measures the output of businesses operating in the manufacturing sector. It is the most important sector in the UK and accounts for 70 percent of total production. The biggest segments within Manufacturing are: Food, drink and tobacco (11 percent of total production); transport equipment (9 percent); basic metals (8 percent); other manufacturing and repair (6 percent); pharmaceutical products and preparations (6 percent); and rubber and plastic products and non-metallic mineral products (6 percent).

In the United Kingdom, industrial production measures the output of businesses integrated in industrial sector of the economy. Manufacturing is the most important sector and accounts for 70 percent of total production. The biggest segments within Manufacturing are: Food, drink and tobacco (11 percent of total production); transport equipment (9 percent); basic metals (8 percent); other manufacturing and repair (6 percent); pharmaceutical products and preparations (6 percent); and rubber and plastic products and non-metallic mineral products (6 percent). Mining and quarrying account for 12 percent of production, as oil and gas extraction accounts for 10 percent. Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning account for 11 percent of total output and water supply, sewerage and waste management account for 8 percent.

In the UK, goods trade balance is equal to goods exports less goods imports.

In Turkey, industrial production measures the output of businesses integrated in industrial sector of the economy. Manufacturing is the most important sector and accounts for 84 percent of total production. The biggest segments within Manufacturing are: Food products (16 percent of total production); basic metals (11 percent); motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers (9 percent); textile (8 percent); other non-metallic mineral products (6 percent); rubber and plastic products (5 percent); chemicals and chemical products (5 percent); electrical equipment (5 percent); wearing apparel (5 percent); and fabricated metal products (5 percent).

In Turkey, the unemployment rate measures the number of people actively looking for a job as a percentage of the labour force.

In Italy, industrial production measures the output of businesses integrated in industrial sector of the economy. Manufacturing is the most important sector and accounts for 88 percent of total production. The biggest segments within Manufacturing are: Metallurgy and fabricated metal products (14 percent of total production); machinery and equipment (12 percent); food, drink and tobacco (10 percent); rubber and plastics products and non-metallic mineral products (9 percent); textile, clothing and leather (8 percent); transport equipment (7 percent); and other manufacturing, repair and installation of machinery and equipment (7 percent). Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning account for 10 percent of total output and Mining and quarrying account for 1 percent.

Current Account is the sum of the balance of trade (exports minus imports of goods and services), net factor income (such as interest and dividends) and net transfer payments (such as foreign aid).

In the United Kingdom, benchmark interest rate is set by the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC). The Bank of England official interest rate is the repo rate. This repo rate applies to open market operations of the Bank of England with a group of counterparties (banks, building societies, securities firms).

In the Euro Area, benchmark interest rate is set by the Governing Council of the European Central Bank. The primary objective of the ECB’s monetary policy is to maintain price stability which is to keep inflation below, but close to 2 percent over the medium term. In times of prolonged low inflation and low interest rates, ECB may also adopt non-standard monetary policy measures, such as asset purchase programmes. The official interest rate is the Main refinancing operations rate.

Inflation Rate MoM measures month over month change in the price of goods and services.

In Brazil, the inflation rate measures a broad rise or fall in prices that consumers pay for a standard basket of goods. The most important categories of the index are: Transport (20 percent); Food and beverages (19 percent of the total weight) ; housing (15 percent); health care (13 percent); and personal expenses (11 percent). Also, Communication accounts for 4 percent; education for 6 percent; clothing for 5 percent; household goods for 4 percent. Data is collected in the Metropolitan Areas of São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte, Porto Alegre, Belém, Fortaleza, Recife, Salvador and Curitiba and in the cities of Goiânia and Brasília.

In India, industrial production measures the output of businesses integrated in industrial sector of the economy. Manufacturing is the most important sector and accounts for 78 percent of total production. The biggest segments within Manufacturing are: basic metals (13 percent of total production); coke and refined petroleum products (12 percent); chemicals and chemical products (8 percent); food products (5 percent); pharmaceuticals, medicinal chemical and botanical products (5 percent); motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers (5 percent); machinery and equipment n.e.c. (5 percent); other non-metallic mineral products (4 percent); and textiles, electrical equipment and fabricated metal products (3 percent each). Mining accounts for 14 percent of total output; and electricity accounts for 8 percent.

Manufacturing production measures the output of businesses operating in the manufacturing sector. In India, manufacturing accounts for 78 percent of total industrial output. The biggest segments are: basic metals (13 percent of total production); coke and refined petroleum products (12 percent); chemicals and chemical products (8 percent); food products (5 percent); pharmaceuticals, medicinal chemical and botanical products (5 percent); motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers (5 percent); machinery and equipment n.e.c. (5 percent); other non-metallic mineral products (4 percent); and textiles, electrical equipment and fabricated metal products (3 percent each).

In Canada, employment change refers to the change in the number of persons who work for pay or profit, or perform unpaid family work. Estimates include both full-time and part-time employment.

In Canada, the unemployment rate measures the number of people actively looking for a job as a percentage of the labour force.

The labour force participation rates is the number of persons who are employed and unemployed but looking for a job divided by the total working-age population.

In the United States, the authority to set interest rates is divided between the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve (Board) and the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC). The Board decides on changes in discount rates after recommendations submitted by one or more of the regional Federal Reserve Banks. The FOMC decides on open market operations, including the desired levels of central bank money or the desired federal funds market rate.

The Index of Consumer Expectations focuses on three areas: how consumers view prospects for their own financial situation, how they view prospects for the general economy over the near term, and their view of prospects for the economy over the long term. Each monthly survey contains approximately 50 core questions, each of which tracks a different aspect of consumer attitudes and expectations. The samples for the Surveys of Consumers are statistically designed to be representative of all American households, excluding those in Alaska and Hawaii. Each month, a minimum of 500 interviews are conducted by telephone.

In the United States, the authority to set interest rates is divided between the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve (Board) and the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC). The Board decides on changes in discount rates after recommendations submitted by one or more of the regional Federal Reserve Banks. The FOMC decides on open market operations, including the desired levels of central bank money or the desired federal funds market rate.

In the United States, the authority to set interest rates is divided between the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve (Board) and the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC). The Board decides on changes in discount rates after recommendations submitted by one or more of the regional Federal Reserve Banks. The FOMC decides on open market operations, including the desired levels of central bank money or the desired federal funds market rate.

Federal Government budget balance is the difference between budget receipts (income) and budget outlays (spending). A budget surplus is expressed as a positive value. A budget deficit is expressed as a negative value.