Where to Find Trading News

Free Real-Time News Sources

Built Into Trading Platforms

• TradingView → News tab on any chart or ticker
• MetaTrader 4/5 → Terminal > News tab
• Thinkorswim (TD Ameritrade) → MarketWatch panel
• Interactive Brokers → News section in TWS
• Bloomberg Terminal → NEWS or TOP command (paid)

The Economic Calendar (Most Important Tool)

• Forex Factory Calendar — color-coded by impact (red = high impact)
• Investing.com Economic Calendar
• Earnings Whispers — for stock earnings dates

• Central bank decisions (Fed, ECB, BOE) — massive volatility
• CPI / inflation data — moves currencies and indices
• Jobs reports (NFP in the US) — every first Friday of the month
• GDP releases
• Company earnings reports

How to Use News When Trading

1. Before the event: Check the calendar, know what's expected (consensus forecast). Markets often price in expectations before the release.
2. At release: Watch for a "beat" or "miss" vs. the forecast — not just the raw number.
3. After the event: The initial spike often reverses ("buy the rumor, sell the news"). Wait for the dust to settle before entering.

Common Approaches

• Straddle/breakout trade: Place orders above and below price before a high-impact event, expecting a big move in either direction.
• Fade the spike: Fade the initial knee-jerk reaction once it reverses.
• Avoid trading during news: Many traders simply close positions or widen stops before major releases to avoid unpredictable volatility.

Tips

• Speed matters — retail traders rarely beat algorithmic systems on the initial spike. Focus on the aftermath.
• Understand the context — a "good" jobs number can actually hurt stocks if it raises fears of further rate hikes.
• Filter noise — not all news moves markets. Focus on red-impact events on the calendar.
• Sentiment tools: Unusual Whales and StockTwits aggregate market sentiment around news events.