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CPI days I still see people argue philosophy. I run a decision tree instead.

Default on EURUSD: flat through the release. After the first impulse, I only engage if spreads normalise and a structure forms — failed spike reclaim, or pullback continuation with clear invalidation. Blind first-print chasing is off. Fading the first spike without reclaim evidence is also off for me; that is hope wearing a contrarian hat.

If the print lands into London structure I already mapped, I may take a reduced-size reaction later — not in the first seconds, and not with full risk. I also cap the number of post-CPI trades; the session invites overtrading when adrenaline is high.

This is a pair decision tree, not a general "how do you trade CPI" essay. EURUSD specifically has its own spread and correlation habits around the print.

• Flat, fade, or first impulse — where do you actually sit on EURUSD CPI?
• How long is your mandatory stand-aside after the number?

Strategy choice, not bravery contest.

CPI on EURUSD: flat is a position

Decision tree beats philosophy here. My default from Frankfurt is flat through the print. The first impulse is someone else’s volatility product; my edge is structured continuation or reclaim after spreads behave like a market again.

Rules I keep:

• No orders inside a defined blackout window around the release
• First engagement only after spread normalisation and a clear invalidation (failed spike reclaim or pullback hold)
• Size below normal European morning risk even when the setup looks clean

Fading the first spike without reclaim has been expensive enough that it is banned, not “discretionary.” If the afternoon is dead after the print, that is allowed. Empty is cheaper than inventing a second thesis because the calendar was dramatic.

I also keep a simple post-CPI scorecard in the journal: minutes to first normal spread, first valid structure, and whether I broke the blackout. That scorecard has trained me better than any debate about “fade versus momentum.”

How long do you wait after CPI before the first discretionary EURUSD ticket — a fixed minute count, or a spread-and-structure checklist?