Title Description
Source European Central Bank (latest release)
Measures Difference in value between imported and exported goods, services, income flows, and unilateral transfers during the previous month;
Usual Effect Actual > Forecast = Good for currency;
Frequency Released monthly, about 50 days after the month ends;
Next Release Aug 17, 2012
SLBFX Notes This is the seasonally adjusted data (as most FF numbers are), not to be confused with the non-seasonally adjusted number reported by some news agencies. The goods portion has no impact because it's a duplicate of the Trade Balance data released about a week earlier;
Why Traders Care It's directly linked to currency demand - a rising surplus indicates that foreigners are buying more of the domestic currency to execute transactions in the region;