Inflation prints can reprice FX and index CFDs in minutes. Prepare the process before the number hits the wire.
Before the print
Know consensus, previous, and whether revisions matter for your pair. Decide if you will trade the spike, wait for the second move, or stay flat. Flat is a valid plan — write it down so FOMO has something to lose against.
During the first minutes
Expect widened spreads and partial fills. Market orders in the first seconds are often a voluntary tax. If you must participate, pre-define max slippage and cancel if the book is chaos.
After the headline
Markets often reprice twice: headline, then detail (core, services, wages). Do not assume the first candle is the final story. Have a separate plan for the detail phase.
Cross-asset check
Watch yields and the dollar together with your pair. A CPI surprise that fails to move real yields the way you expected is a reason to cut size, not to invent a new narrative on the fly.