AquaFutures Tier-1 News Events: Which Announcements Have Trading Restrictions

AquaFutures has no official trading restrictions during news events—you can trade through FOMC, NFP, CPI, and any other announcements. However, you should treat major news events (Tier-1 releases) as unofficial "no-trade zones" because the risk far outweighs potential reward: massive slippage ($250-$1,000 per contract), violent price swings (20-50+ point moves in seconds), and potential to breach your account from a single trade gone wrong.

Tier-1 news events include FOMC announcements (8 per year), Non-Farm Payrolls (monthly), Consumer Price Index (monthly), GDP releases (quarterly), and surprise geopolitical events. Most successful prop traders close positions 30 minutes before these events and wait 30 minutes after for volatility to settle.

I'm breaking down which news events are most dangerous, typical price movement during each release, why prop traders avoid them, real breach stories from news trading, and safe strategies if you insist on trading news.

Quick heads-up: This article is based on my real experience with Aquafutures and the info available when I published/updated this. Things change in prop trading — rules, payouts, promos, all of it.

For the absolute latest, check Aquafutures´s website or their faq page.

Official Rule: You Can Trade During Any News Event

AquaFutures doesn't restrict trading during:

✅ FOMC announcements

✅ Non-Farm Payrolls (NFP)

✅ Consumer Price Index (CPI)

✅ GDP releases

✅ Any other economic data

You're allowed to trade—but you probably shouldn't.

Think of it like this: Casinos don't restrict you from betting your entire bankroll on one roulette spin. They allow it—but it's a terrible idea.

For evaluation rules, see the evaluation rules guide.

What Are Tier-1 News Events?

Tier-1 news events = highest-impact economic announcements that cause extreme volatility.

These events can move ES 20-100+ points in 10-30 seconds, creating:

• Massive slippage ($250-$1,000 per contract)
• Wide bid/ask spreads (2-5 points vs normal 0.25)
• Unpredictable price action (gaps, reversals, flash moves)

Why they're called "Tier-1":

They're not officially tiered by AquaFutures—traders use this term to distinguish ultra-high-impact events from routine data releases.

Tier-1 (avoid completely):

• FOMC announcements
• Non-Farm Payrolls
• Consumer Price Index
• GDP (initial release)

Tier-2 (exercise caution):

• Retail Sales
• ISM Manufacturing/Services
• Housing data
• Jobless claims

Tier-3 (minimal impact):

• Consumer Confidence
• Existing Home Sales
• Durable Goods Orders

Most prop traders only avoid Tier-1 events. They'll trade through Tier-2/3 carefully.

Complete Tier-1 News Event Calendar

Key insight: FOMC and NFP cause the most extreme moves. If you only avoid 2 events, make it these.

For slippage during news, see the slippage guide.

FOMC Announcements: The Most Dangerous Event

What is FOMC?

Federal Open Market Committee—the group that sets U.S. interest rates. Their announcements (8 per year) can move ES 30-100+ points in 30 seconds.

FOMC schedule 2026 (tentative):

• January 29
• March 19
• April 30
• June 17
• July 29
• September 17
• November 5
• December 17

Release time: 2:00pm ET

Typical price action:

• 1:50pm-2:00pm: ES range tightens, volume drops, spreads widen to 1-2 points
• 2:00pm: Announcement hits → ES moves 30-50 points in 10 seconds
• 2:00pm-2:30pm: Violent swings, reversals, 10-20 point moves every minute
• 2:30pm: Press conference begins → another wave of volatility
• 3:00pm: Volatility starts settling

Slippage during FOMC:

Market orders: 5-20 points ($250-$1,000 per contract)

Limit orders: Might not fill (price gaps through them)

Advice: Don't trade FOMC. Close positions by 1:30pm. Resume trading after 3:00pm once volatility settles.

Non-Farm Payrolls (NFP): Monthly Employment Report

What is NFP?

Monthly jobs report showing how many jobs the U.S. economy added/lost. Released first Friday of every month at 8:30am ET.

Why it matters:

Employment = economic health. Surprise data (way above/below expectations) causes massive moves.

Typical price action:

• 8:25am-8:30am: ES range tightens, spreads widen to 1-2 points
• 8:30am: Release hits → ES moves 20-60 points in 15 seconds
• 8:30am-9:00am: Violent swings, 10-20 point reversals
• 9:00am-9:30am: Volatility continues but less extreme
• 9:30am: Market open adds another layer of chaos

Slippage during NFP:

Market orders: 3-15 points ($150-$750 per contract)

Real example (January 2024 NFP):

• Expectations: +180K jobs
• Actual: +353K jobs (huge beat)
• ES reaction: +25 points in 10 seconds, then -15, then +20
• Traders using market orders: -$500-$1,000 slippage

Advice: Don't trade NFP. If you're already in positions, close them before 8:20am. Resume trading after 9:45am (post-market-open volatility).

Consumer Price Index (CPI): Inflation Report

What is CPI?

Measures inflation—price changes for consumer goods. Released monthly (usually mid-month) at 8:30am ET.

Why it matters:

High inflation = Fed might raise rates → bearish for stocks

Low inflation = Fed might cut rates → bullish for stocks

Typical price action:

• 8:25am-8:30am: Spreads widen, volume drops
• 8:30am: Release → ES moves 20-50 points in 20 seconds
• 8:30am-9:15am: Choppy, violent swings

Recent example (December 2023 CPI):

• Expectations: +3.2% YoY
• Actual: +3.1% YoY (slightly better)
• ES reaction: +30 points in 15 seconds
• Slippage on market orders: $300-$600

Advice: Don't trade CPI. Close positions by 8:20am. Resume trading after 9:30am.

GDP Releases: Quarterly Economic Growth

What is GDP?

Gross Domestic Product—measures U.S. economic growth. Released quarterly (initial, preliminary, final revisions).

Release schedule:

• Q4 2025: Late January 2026
• Q1 2026: Late April
• Q2 2026: Late July
• Q3 2026: Late October

Typical moves:

• Initial GDP: 15-40 points (highest impact)
• Preliminary GDP: 5-15 points (lower impact)
• Final GDP: 0-10 points (minimal impact)

Advice: Avoid trading initial GDP releases. Preliminary/final GDP are safer but still exercise caution.

Surprise Geopolitical Events

Not on the calendar, but these cause extreme volatility:

• War/military action: Russia-Ukraine escalations, Middle East conflicts
• Elections: U.S. presidential elections, surprise results
• Bank failures: Silicon Valley Bank (2023), Lehman Brothers (2008)
• Pandemics: COVID-19 (March 2020)
• Terrorist attacks: 9/11, major incidents

These events can move ES 50-200+ points in minutes or hours.

You can't predict them, but you can manage exposure:

• Don't hold large positions overnight (gaps at reopen)
• Keep cushion to drawdown threshold (at least $2,000)
• Have stops on all positions (don't rely on mental stops)

For overnight trading details, see the overnight trading guide.

Real Breach Stories from News Trading

Story 1: FOMC wipes out 8 weeks of progress

Trader had $52,500 balance (up $2,500 from $50K start). Held 6 ES contracts through FOMC. ES dropped 40 points in 20 seconds. Lost $12,000 instantly. Breached (threshold was $47,500). 8 weeks of grinding—gone in 20 seconds.

Story 2: NFP gaps through stop-loss

Trader set stop-loss at 5,190 (10 points below entry at 5,200). NFP came in way above expectations. ES gapped from 5,195 to 5,175 (20-point gap). Stop triggered at 5,175 instead of 5,190. Lost $1,500 instead of $500. Nearly breached from a "safe" stop.

Story 3: CPI reversal trap

Trader bought ES immediately after CPI (bullish data). ES rallied 25 points. Then reversed -35 points in 5 minutes (institutional profit-taking). Trader held hoping for recovery. Account breached. News moves aren't predictable—even after the release.

Common theme: News trading isn't worth it. One bad trade can undo weeks/months of progress.

Why Most Prop Traders Avoid News Events

Reason 1: Risk-Reward Is Terrible

To make $500 during NFP, you risk $2,000-$5,000 (account breach).

To make $500 during calm markets, you risk $300-$500 (stop-loss).

Same profit potential, 4-10x more risk during news.

Reason 2: Edge Disappears

Your strategy (support/resistance, moving averages, order flow) doesn't work during news. Price action is random, chaotic, and driven by institutional algorithms—not technical setups.

Reason 3: Slippage Eats Profits

Even if you're "right" on direction, slippage can cost $250-$1,000 per contract—eliminating any profit.

Example:

• You predict FOMC will be bullish
• ES rallies +30 points (you were right!)
• Your entry slippage: -$500
• Your exit slippage: -$400
• Net after slippage: -$900 on a +30 point move

Reason 4: Can't Practice News Trading

You get 8 FOMC announcements per year. That's 8 opportunities to practice. Not enough to develop skill.

Compare to: Daily support/resistance setups (250+ per year). You can practice and improve.

Reason 5: Stress and Psychology

News trading creates extreme emotional swings (fear, greed, panic). These emotions carry into your next trades, causing mistakes even after the news settles.

Safe Strategies If You Insist on Trading News

Strategy 1: Wait 30 Minutes After Release

Don't trade the initial spike (8:30am-9:00am for NFP). Wait until 9:15am-9:30am when volatility calms.

Why: Initial move is chaos. Secondary move (30 minutes later) is more predictable.

Strategy 2: Trade the "Fade" 1-2 Hours Later

Often, initial news moves reverse 1-2 hours later (profit-taking, position squaring).

Example:

• NFP at 8:30am → ES rallies +40 points
• By 10:30am → ES drops -25 points (fade the news move)

This is safer than trading the initial release.

Strategy 3: Use Tiny Position Sizes

If you normally trade 6 contracts, trade 1 during news. Limits total risk to $50-$200 instead of $1,500-$6,000.

Strategy 4: Accept You'll Miss Fills

Use limit orders with tight prices. You'll miss 80% of fills—and that's fine. The 20% you do catch are at acceptable prices.

Strategy 5: Paper Trade News Events First

Use a demo account to trade 3-4 news events. See how violent the moves are. Realize it's not worth it. Then avoid news entirely on your real account.

How to Check News Schedule

Economic calendar websites:

• Investing.com/economic-calendar (free, comprehensive)
• ForexFactory.com/calendar (color-coded by impact)
• TradingEconomics.com/calendar (detailed forecasts)

What to look for:

• Red or 3-star events (highest impact)
• U.S. news only (ES/NQ are U.S. indices)
• 8:30am ET and 2:00pm ET releases (most common times)

Daily routine:

Check the calendar each morning before trading. Note any Tier-1 events for the day. Set reminders 30 minutes before release. Close positions or avoid trading.

What If You're Already in a Position When News Hits?

Scenario: You entered ES long at 10am. You forgot CPI is at 2pm today.

Option 1: Close immediately (safest)

Take whatever profit/loss you have now. Exit before 1:30pm (30 minutes before release).

Option 2: Tighten stop (moderate risk)

Move stop-loss closer to current price. Accept that it might get hit with slippage, but at least you limit damage.

Option 3: Hold through news (high risk)

Only if:

• You have $2,000+ cushion to threshold
• Your position is small (1-2 contracts)
• You're willing to accept potential breach

Most traders choose Option 1. The safety of exiting outweighs the possibility of profit.

Do Funded Traders Trade News?

Some do, most don't.

Institutional traders who trade news:

• Have algorithms designed for news trading
• Execute in milliseconds (faster than you)
• Trade huge size to make small gains per contract
• Accept losses as cost of their strategy

Retail/prop traders who avoid news:

• Can't compete with algorithms
• Don't have millisecond execution
• Risk too much for inconsistent rewards

Even on funded accounts with $5,000+ buffers, most prop traders close positions before Tier-1 news.

For funded account strategies, see the funded account guide.

Final Thoughts: News Events Are Optional

Trading isn't about being in the market 24/7. It's about choosing high-probability setups and avoiding low-probability chaos.

You have 250 trading days per year. Minus 8 FOMC days, 12 NFP days, 12 CPI days = 218 days to trade.

That's 218 days of calm, predictable, edge-driven trading.

Why risk your account on the 32 chaotic days?

Close positions before Tier-1 news. Go for a walk. Come back when markets are tradable. Your account (and your stress levels) will thank you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you trade during news events on AquaFutures?

Yes. AquaFutures has no official restrictions—you can trade through FOMC, NFP, CPI, or any news event. However, you shouldn't. News events cause extreme volatility (20-100 point moves in seconds), massive slippage ($250-$1,000 per contract), and high breach risk. Most successful prop traders close positions 30 minutes before Tier-1 news.

What are Tier-1 news events?

Tier-1 = highest-impact economic announcements: FOMC announcements (8x per year, 2pm ET), Non-Farm Payrolls (monthly, 8:30am ET), Consumer Price Index (monthly, 8:30am ET), GDP initial releases (quarterly, 8:30am ET). These move ES 20-100+ points in seconds and create $250-$1,000 slippage per contract.

How much can ES move during FOMC?

Typical FOMC moves: 30-100+ points in the first 30 seconds after announcement (2pm ET). Extreme cases: 150-200 points over 1-2 hours. Slippage on market orders: 5-20 points ($250-$1,000 per contract). ES can swing 10-20 points per minute for 30 minutes after release.

Why do prop traders avoid news events?

Five reasons: (1) Risk-reward is terrible (risk $2,000-$5,000 to make $500), (2) Trading edge disappears (price action is random chaos), (3) Slippage eats profits ($500-$1,000 per contract), (4) Can't practice enough (only 8 FOMC per year), (5) Extreme stress affects psychology for hours afterward.

When should you close positions before news?

Close positions 30 minutes before Tier-1 events: FOMC at 2pm → close by 1:30pm. NFP at 8:30am → close by 8:00am. CPI at 8:30am → close by 8:00am. Resume trading 30 minutes after release once volatility settles: FOMC → resume 3:00pm, NFP/CPI → resume 9:30am.

What if you're already in a position when news hits?

Three options: (1) Close immediately—safest, take whatever profit/loss you have now, (2) Tighten stop-loss—moderate risk, accept potential slippage, (3) Hold through news—high risk, only if you have $2,000+ cushion and small position (1-2 contracts). Most traders choose Option 1.

How do you check the news schedule?

Use economic calendars: Investing.com/economic-calendar, ForexFactory.com/calendar, or TradingEconomics.com/calendar. Look for red/3-star events, U.S. news only, 8:30am or 2pm ET releases. Check each morning before trading, set reminders 30 minutes before Tier-1 events.

Can you make money trading news events?

Technically yes, but: Institutional algorithms dominate news trading with millisecond execution. Retail traders face $500-$1,000 slippage even on winning trades. You get only 8-12 practice opportunities per year. Risk of account breach is 5-10x higher. Most prop traders who try news trading eventually stop—it's not worth the stress and risk.

Your Next Steps

‍👉 Start Trading at Aquafutures Today

‍👉 Read My Full Aquafutures Review

‍👉 Check out Aquafutures´s Payout Rules

‍

‍