Of course it matters.
Why do you think traders/shops pay so much money for news services?
You mean to say your trading is completely unaffected by the 2nd largest stock in the world cutting guidance and citing China as the main culprit?
I am 99% pattern recognition automation, if I can't back test it, it is of no use to me. The 1% is manually trading/testing new models. I am educated in accounting and economics, but that doesn't mean crap when other people's are doing briefs of their takes on what is going on, I learned long ago the numbers are bullshit, and all that counts is which way is price going to go. Many of the Hedge funds not doing well, they picked wrong directions or commitments of symbols to go up instead of simply using charts and let others guide your positions.
If that works for you, I applaud you, but I use what works as far as how
I understand. I do buy One service on weather for commodities, but no other services nor listen to radio or CNBC, I don't care what the news is or the whys. And yes I trade stocks, but strictly on degrees of patterns, relationships and science. I do trade new reports 24/5.5-but don't care of what news is given, just need when time of when they come out.
I learned long ago I have strengths and weaknesses in life, weaknesses such as believing in the numbers, I learned how to hedge well.
Better to know what price patterns to stop trading than fishing around to discover the whys.
It is better to get risk as far down to zero as one can do not only for today but tomorrows than rely on the whys.
You bet your money on what works for you.