Bureau of Labor Statistics (latest release)
Measures Change in the number of employed people during the previous month, excluding the farming industry;
Usual Effect Actual > Forecast = Good for currency;
Frequency Released monthly, usually on the first Friday after the month ends;
This is vital economic data released shortly after the month ends. The combination of importance and earliness makes for hefty market impacts;
Why Traders Care Job creation is an important leading indicator of consumer spending, which accounts for a majority of overall economic activity;
Also Called Non-Farm Payrolls, NFP, Employment Change;