Trading economic calendar events

How do I actually read and use an economic calendar effectively? I understand major releases move markets but I don't know how to anticipate direction or magnitude. Should I even be trading around news events as a beginner?

Economic calendar usage develops gradually rather than arriving as instant knowledge. The key data points for each release are the previous figure, the forecast consensus, and the actual result. Markets typically price in the expected number before release, so the actual market movement depends on deviation from forecast rather than the absolute number itself. A better-than-expected jobs figure in a weak employment environment might spike a currency, but the same number during strong employment conditions might cause barely any reaction. Context always matters more than the raw figure.

Tried trading news events immediately after opening my account because the big price spikes seemed like obvious opportunity. Got destroyed repeatedly because I didn't understand that spreads widen dramatically during major releases, stops get triggered in both directions before the real move starts, and my execution was too slow to catch the actual directional move. Switched to waiting for post-news stabilization and trading the follow-through instead. Much more manageable for someone still building skills: https://invest-agency.info/en/investing-in-forex/3k-investment/