“All news is noise.” It’s a phrase often heard from traders who rely solely on charts and indicators, believing that price action reflects everything that matters. While it’s true that not all news is meaningful, dismissing all news as noise is a critical mistake. In reality, some news is noise — but much of it is signal, especially when it shifts market expectations, policy direction, or sentiment. Knowing how to separate the two is what gives professional traders an edge. Let’s explore why not all news is noise — and how to filter what truly matters.

What makes news “noise”?

News becomes noise when it:

• Lacks context or relevance to the market you’re trading
• Is already fully priced in
• Comes from unreliable or sensationalist sources
• Doesn’t change the broader macro narrative

Examples include:

• Repetitive headlines
• Speculative rumours without confirmation
• Minor political commentary with no market impact

Traders who react to every headline often suffer from decision fatigue, overtrading, and inconsistent results.

But some news is not noise — it’s signal

Certain types of news carry heavy market consequences:

• Interest rate announcements and forward guidance
• Inflation data (CPI, PPI, PCE)
• Employment reports (NFP, unemployment rate, wages)
• Central bank minutes and speeches
• Geopolitical events (wars, sanctions, trade disruptions)

This kind of news reshapes macro trends, adjusts market expectations, and drives volatility. Ignoring it means trading blind to the forces moving price.

Price reflects news — but with a lag or overreaction

While price does eventually reflect news, it often does so:

• With an initial spike, sometimes reversed
• Through delayed moves, as positioning shifts
• In multi-day trends, once the implications are processed

News acts as a catalyst. The market’s reaction to that catalyst can provide opportunity — or risk — depending on your awareness and timing.

News helps interpret price action

Price action without context can be misleading. For example:

• A sudden breakout may seem bullish — until you realise it was triggered by a speech that markets misread.
• A reversal may look random — unless you know a key economic number was just released.

Understanding the news behind the move gives you clarity and control, especially during volatility spikes.

Filtering signal from noise is a skill

Successful traders don’t ignore all news — they filter it. They ask:

• Does this change central bank expectations?
• Does this shift market positioning or risk appetite?
• Is this news new — or already priced in?
• Is the source credible?
• How is price reacting?

This filtering process turns overwhelming headlines into a strategic advantage.

Conclusion: Is all news just noise?

No — all news is not noise. While some headlines are distractions, key news events drive markets, reshape trends, and create opportunity. The skill lies in knowing what to ignore — and what to act on.

Don’t trade every headline — but don’t ignore the ones that matter.

Learn how to filter the news, read the market’s true signals, and trade with clarity through our professional Trading Courses designed to help you navigate noise with purpose.