Event at Tuesday, 4 December 2007

Time(GMT):	Currency:	Event:	Forecast:	Previous:
12:01am	GBP	BRC Retail Sales Monitor y/y	1.3%	1.0%
	The British Retail Consortium (BRC) Retail Sales Monitor measures the change in value of like-for-like (i.e. same-store) sales at surveyed retailers, which effectively excludes stores that have been open for less than a year.
12:30am	AUD	Retail Sales m/m	0.6%	0.8%
	Measures the value of sales at the retail level. A rising trend has a positive effect on the nation's currency because Retail Sales make up a large portion of consumer spending, which is a major driver of the economy and has a sizable impact on GDP. Traders pay close attention to Retail Sales because it is usually the first significant indicator of the month that relates to consumer behavior and is susceptible to surprises.
12:30am	AUD	Building Approvals m/m	-1.9%	6.8%
	Measures the number of new residential building permits issued. A rising trend has a positive effect on the nation's currency because obtaining a permit is one of the first steps in the home construction process. Permits therefore act as a leading indicator for the housing market. A high level of housing activity signals that the construction industry is healthy and that consumers have the capital to make large investments. More importantly, new housing activity creates an economic ripple effect as home owners buy goods such as appliances and furniture for their homes, and builders buy raw materials and hire more workers to meet demand.
10:00am	EUR	PPI m/m	0.4%	0.4%
	The Producer Price Index (PPI) measures the rate of inflation (i.e., the rate of price changes) experienced by manufacturers when purchasing goods and services. A rising trend has a positive effect on the nation's currency. When manufactures pay more for goods and services, they are likely to pass the higher costs to the consumer, so PPI is thought to be a leading indicator of consumer inflation. PPI is highly regarded, and at extremes will have a market impact equal to that of its CPI counterpart.
2:00pm	CAD	Interest Rate Statement	4.5%	4.5%
	Eight times per year the Bank of Canada (BOC) Governing Council meets to set the nation's short term interest rate (i.e., "overnight rate"). Shortly after the meeting they release a statement that contains the decided rate, a brief commentary of the economic conditions that effected their decision, and most importantly, clues regarding the outcome of future meetings. A rising trend in interest rates has a positive effect on the nation's currency. Short term rates are the paramount factor in currency valuation; traders look at most other indicators merely to predict how interest rates may change in the future. High interest rates attract foreigners looking for the best "risk-free" return on their money, which can dramatically increases demand for the nation's currency. The decision on where to set interest rates depends mostly on inflation. The primary objective of the central bank is to achieve price stability; when inflation rises above an annualized rate of approximately 2%, they will respond by raising interest rates in an attempt to bring prices down.
10:30pm	AUD	Interest Rate Statement	6.75%	6.75%
	Each month, excluding January, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) Board meets to set the nation's short term interest rate (i.e., "cash rate"). The Board announces the decided rate shortly after the meeting, and when there is a change in rates they also releases a statement that contains the economic conditions that effected their decision. A rising trend in interest rates has a positive effect on the nation's currency. Short term rates are the paramount factor in currency valuation; traders look at most other indicators merely to predict how interest rates may change in the future. High interest rates attract foreigners looking for the best "risk-free" return on their money, which can dramatically increases demand for the nation's currency. The decision on where to set interest rates depends mostly on inflation. The primary objective of the central bank is to achieve price stability; when inflation rises above an annualized rate of approximately 3%, they will respond by raising interest rates in an attempt to bring prices down.