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AAII Community Economic and Market Analysis

Four Economic Events Every Investor Should Follow

Share your thoughts on the market's reaction to Fed moves and inflation reports.

by Jenna Brashear | October 2026

There are four recurring economic events that investors commonly pay attention to: FOMC meetings and the release of PPI, CPI and PCE reports.

Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meetings happen eight times per year. These are where, among other things, the Federal Reserve decides whether to hold interest rates steady, raise them or lower them. Why should you care? Rate changes affect borrowing costs across the economy, and unexpected changes can quickly affect stock prices.

The other three reports are monthly measures of inflation. The producer price index (PPI) tracks price changes for goods and materials before they reach consumers. The consumer price index (CPI) tracks the price changes for food, gasoline, clothing, shelter and other common expenses. The personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index is similar to the CPI but is the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge, since it captures broader spending patterns.

Why should these reports be on your radar? An unexpected change in one or more of them can shift expectations for interest rates, which can move markets even more than the data itself.

Many investors feel real anxiety around these releases. It can seem like the numbers carry too much weight or like Wall Street has an unfair data advantage.

We want to hear from you:

Has the market’s reaction to Fed moves and inflation reports become more important than the actual data itself?

What’s your take? Jump into the Beginner Investor Community to share your opinions and join the conversation.

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Four Economic Events Every Investor Should Follow Video

We think you’d like this related livestream! PCE Preview, GDP Final Read & Consumer Earnings Watch | AAII Market Update

Discussion

JOHN L from NJ posted 24 days ago:

Or you could just buy an equity index fund and hold for the long term. Ignoring all the nonsense and spending your time on the better things in life while reaping great long term returns.


Jenna B from IL posted 23 days ago:

John, you are right on the money and honestly, I think you've landed on the strategy that works best for most people. Buying a broad index fund and getting on with your life beats almost every attempt to trade around Fed meetings and inflation reports. I couldn't agree more. Where I'd push back a little is on the idea that following these events and buying and holding are quite opposites. The hardest part of holding long term usually isn't picking the fund and it's not selling when the market drops 3% because CPI came in hot. Investors who understand why that's happening are far more likely to shrug it off than the ones who don't. Knowing a bit about these reports can actually protect a buy-and-hold plan. They also shape mortgage rates, what your savings pays and when it makes sense to refinance, decisions even passive investors make. I think other investors need to be aware that reading these reports and acting on them are two very different things. A long-term investor might read them simply to understand the bigger picture and then, like you said perfectly, go spend your time on the better things in life. Thanks so much for reading and for sharing your perspective! I love hearing how everyone approaches this, and I think yours is a great one for keeping your sanity and peace of mind.


ROBERT A from NC posted 21 days ago:

Keeping up with the "news" is generally a good thing in relation to all aspects of your life, but I wouldn't say one should "follow" the four events listed in the article. I regard each of them as just another bit of noise, and I am not going to react to them directly. If I don't find out what the Fed did until a month later, it won't affect my investing strategy UNLESS the market plummets as a result and I can pick up some good equities on the cheap. Any importance I attach to the listed events won't manifest itself until a good while after the events occur. Thus, I see no need to "follow" them, especially since I will be looking for buy-and-hold bargains regardless of the reason for the bear's emergence.


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