diff --git a/internal/eventcatalog/catalog.go b/internal/eventcatalog/catalog.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dbecf49
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/eventcatalog/catalog.go
@@ -0,0 +1,137 @@
+package eventcatalog
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"strings"
+	"time"
+)
+
+type EventType string
+type Tone string
+type CommercialPosture string
+type Recurrence string
+
+const (
+	TypePublicHoliday EventType = "PUBLIC_HOLIDAY"
+	TypeReligious     EventType = "RELIGIOUS"
+	TypeNational      EventType = "NATIONAL"
+	TypeCultural      EventType = "CULTURAL"
+	TypeCommercial    EventType = "COMMERCIAL"
+	TypeSeasonal      EventType = "SEASONAL"
+	TypeEducation     EventType = "EDUCATION"
+	TypeEconomic      EventType = "ECONOMIC"
+	TypeEmergency     EventType = "EMERGENCY_CLOSURE"
+
+	ToneCelebratory Tone = "CELEBRATORY"
+	ToneJoyful      Tone = "JOYFUL"
+	ToneNeutral     Tone = "NEUTRAL"
+	ToneSolemn      Tone = "SOLEMN"
+	ToneMourning    Tone = "MOURNING"
+	ToneMemorial    Tone = "MEMORIAL"
+
+	PosturePromote     CommercialPosture = "PROMOTE"
+	PostureCaution     CommercialPosture = "CAUTION"
+	PostureNoPromotion CommercialPosture = "NO_PROMOTION"
+
+	RecurrenceBlackFriday Recurrence = "BLACK_FRIDAY"
+	RecurrenceCyberMonday Recurrence = "CYBER_MONDAY"
+)
+
+type Event struct {
+	ID                 string            `json:"id"`
+	TitleFA            string            `json:"titleFa"`
+	TitleEN            string            `json:"titleEn,omitempty"`
+	StartDate          string            `json:"startDate"`
+	EndDate            string            `json:"endDate"`
+	Recurrence         Recurrence        `json:"recurrence,omitempty"`
+	Type               EventType         `json:"eventType"`
+	Tone               Tone              `json:"tone"`
+	CommercialPosture  CommercialPosture `json:"commercialPosture"`
+	OfficialHoliday    bool              `json:"officialHoliday"`
+	SourceURI          string            `json:"sourceUri"`
+	SourceVersion      string            `json:"sourceVersion"`
+	SourceChecksum     string            `json:"sourceChecksum,omitempty"`
+	InclusionRationale string            `json:"inclusionRationale"`
+	GeographicScope    string            `json:"geographicScope"`
+	MerchantCategories []string          `json:"merchantCategories,omitempty"`
+	BehavioralChannels []string          `json:"behavioralChannels,omitempty"`
+	LeadDays           int               `json:"leadDays"`
+	LagDays            int               `json:"lagDays"`
+	RelevanceBPS       int               `json:"relevanceBps"`
+	ConfidenceBPS      int               `json:"confidenceBps"`
+}
+
+func ResolveRecurrence(rule Recurrence, year int, location *time.Location) (time.Time, error) {
+	if year < 1900 || year > 2200 {
+		return time.Time{}, errors.New("event catalog: recurrence year out of range")
+	}
+	thanksgiving := nthWeekday(year, time.November, time.Thursday, 4, location)
+	switch rule {
+	case RecurrenceBlackFriday:
+		return thanksgiving.AddDate(0, 0, 1), nil
+	case RecurrenceCyberMonday:
+		return thanksgiving.AddDate(0, 0, 4), nil
+	default:
+		return time.Time{}, fmt.Errorf("event catalog: unsupported recurrence %q", rule)
+	}
+}
+
+func ValidateEvents(events []Event) error {
+	seen := make(map[string]struct{}, len(events))
+	for _, event := range events {
+		if strings.TrimSpace(event.ID) == "" || strings.TrimSpace(event.TitleFA) == "" || strings.TrimSpace(event.SourceURI) == "" || strings.TrimSpace(event.SourceVersion) == "" || strings.TrimSpace(event.InclusionRationale) == "" || strings.TrimSpace(event.GeographicScope) == "" {
+			return fmt.Errorf("event catalog: event %q is incomplete", event.ID)
+		}
+		if _, exists := seen[event.ID]; exists {
+			return fmt.Errorf("event catalog: duplicate event %q", event.ID)
+		}
+		seen[event.ID] = struct{}{}
+		start, err := time.Parse(time.DateOnly, event.StartDate)
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("event catalog: event %q start date: %w", event.ID, err)
+		}
+		end, err := time.Parse(time.DateOnly, event.EndDate)
+		if err != nil || end.Before(start) {
+			return fmt.Errorf("event catalog: event %q has invalid end date", event.ID)
+		}
+		if !validType(event.Type) || !validTone(event.Tone) || !validPosture(event.CommercialPosture) {
+			return fmt.Errorf("event catalog: event %q has invalid classification", event.ID)
+		}
+		if (event.Tone == ToneMourning || event.Tone == ToneMemorial) && event.CommercialPosture == PosturePromote {
+			return fmt.Errorf("event catalog: event %q cannot promote during mourning or memorial", event.ID)
+		}
+		if event.LeadDays < 0 || event.LagDays < 0 || event.RelevanceBPS < 0 || event.RelevanceBPS > 10_000 || event.ConfidenceBPS < 0 || event.ConfidenceBPS > 10_000 {
+			return fmt.Errorf("event catalog: event %q has invalid impact metadata", event.ID)
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func nthWeekday(year int, month time.Month, weekday time.Weekday, occurrence int, location *time.Location) time.Time {
+	first := time.Date(year, month, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, location)
+	offset := (int(weekday) - int(first.Weekday()) + 7) % 7
+	return first.AddDate(0, 0, offset+7*(occurrence-1))
+}
+
+func validType(value EventType) bool {
+	switch value {
+	case TypePublicHoliday, TypeReligious, TypeNational, TypeCultural, TypeCommercial, TypeSeasonal, TypeEducation, TypeEconomic, TypeEmergency:
+		return true
+	default:
+		return false
+	}
+}
+
+func validTone(value Tone) bool {
+	switch value {
+	case ToneCelebratory, ToneJoyful, ToneNeutral, ToneSolemn, ToneMourning, ToneMemorial:
+		return true
+	default:
+		return false
+	}
+}
+
+func validPosture(value CommercialPosture) bool {
+	return value == PosturePromote || value == PostureCaution || value == PostureNoPromotion
+}
diff --git a/internal/eventcatalog/catalog_test.go b/internal/eventcatalog/catalog_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1209c79
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/eventcatalog/catalog_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+package eventcatalog
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+)
+
+func TestResolveBlackFridayUsesRecurrenceRule(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	got, err := ResolveRecurrence(RecurrenceBlackFriday, 2026, time.UTC)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if want := "2026-11-27"; got.Format(time.DateOnly) != want {
+		t.Fatalf("Black Friday = %s, want %s", got.Format(time.DateOnly), want)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestValidateEventsDistinguishesCelebrationAndMourning(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	events := []Event{
+		{ID: "nowruz-1405", TitleFA: "نوروز", StartDate: "2026-03-21", EndDate: "2026-03-24", Type: TypeCultural, Tone: ToneCelebratory, CommercialPosture: PosturePromote, SourceURI: "https://calendar.ut.ac.ir/", SourceVersion: "1405", InclusionRationale: "تقویم رسمی", GeographicScope: "IR", RelevanceBPS: 10000, ConfidenceBPS: 10000},
+		{ID: "ashura-1405", TitleFA: "عاشورای حسینی", StartDate: "2026-06-25", EndDate: "2026-06-25", Type: TypeReligious, Tone: ToneMourning, CommercialPosture: PostureNoPromotion, SourceURI: "https://calendar.ut.ac.ir/", SourceVersion: "1405", InclusionRationale: "تقویم رسمی", GeographicScope: "IR", RelevanceBPS: 10000, ConfidenceBPS: 10000},
+	}
+	if err := ValidateEvents(events); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestValidateEventsRejectsPromotionalMourningEvent(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	event := Event{ID: "mourning", TitleFA: "یادبود", StartDate: "2026-01-01", EndDate: "2026-01-01", Type: TypeCultural, Tone: ToneMourning, CommercialPosture: PosturePromote, SourceURI: "https://example.test", SourceVersion: "v1", InclusionRationale: "reviewed", GeographicScope: "IR", RelevanceBPS: 10000, ConfidenceBPS: 10000}
+	if err := ValidateEvents([]Event{event}); err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("expected mourning promotion validation error")
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/growthreport/adapter.go b/internal/growthreport/adapter.go
index 0ee5fcb..515c9b8 100644
--- a/internal/growthreport/adapter.go
+++ b/internal/growthreport/adapter.go
@@ -47,10 +47,13 @@ type Builder interface {
 	Build(ctx context.Context, merchantID int64, terminalID string) (Analysis, error)
 }
 
-type PostgreSQLBuilder struct{ pool *pgxpool.Pool }
+type PostgreSQLBuilder struct {
+	pool *pgxpool.Pool
+	now  func() time.Time
+}
 
 func NewPostgreSQLBuilder(pool *pgxpool.Pool) *PostgreSQLBuilder {
-	return &PostgreSQLBuilder{pool: pool}
+	return &PostgreSQLBuilder{pool: pool, now: time.Now}
 }
 
 func (b *PostgreSQLBuilder) Build(ctx context.Context, merchantID int64, terminalID string) (Analysis, error) {
@@ -88,7 +91,7 @@ func (b *PostgreSQLBuilder) Build(ctx context.Context, merchantID int64, termina
 	if err := b.pool.QueryRow(ctx, `SELECT max(created_at AT TIME ZONE 'Asia/Tehran')::date FROM payment_sessions`).Scan(&latest); err != nil {
 		return Analysis{}, fmt.Errorf("loading dataset watermark date: %w", err)
 	}
-	forecastStart := latest.AddDate(0, 0, 1)
+	forecastStart := tehranToday(b.now())
 	peer, err := b.loadPeer(ctx, merchantID, terminalID)
 	if err != nil {
 		return Analysis{}, err
diff --git a/internal/growthreport/orchestrator.go b/internal/growthreport/orchestrator.go
index 866500b..e30049b 100644
--- a/internal/growthreport/orchestrator.go
+++ b/internal/growthreport/orchestrator.go
@@ -46,10 +46,11 @@ func (s *Service) Create(ctx context.Context, userID, merchantID int64, request
 			return Record{}, false, err
 		}
 	}
-	watermark, start, err := s.repository.DatasetMetadata(ctx)
+	watermark, _, err := s.repository.DatasetMetadata(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		return Record{}, false, err
 	}
+	start := tehranToday(now)
 	fingerprint := s.fingerprint(merchantID, request.TerminalID, watermark, start)
 	var refreshDay *time.Time
 	if request.Refresh {
@@ -91,10 +92,11 @@ func (s *Service) Latest(ctx context.Context, merchantID int64, terminalID strin
 	record, err := s.repository.Latest(ctx, merchantID, terminalID, growth.AnalyticsVersion)
 	if err == nil {
 		record.Cached = true
-		watermark, start, metadataErr := s.repository.DatasetMetadata(ctx)
+		watermark, _, metadataErr := s.repository.DatasetMetadata(ctx)
 		if metadataErr != nil {
 			record.Stale = true
 		} else {
+			start := tehranToday(s.now())
 			record.Stale = record.Fingerprint != s.fingerprint(merchantID, terminalID, watermark, start)
 		}
 		record.NextRefreshAt, _ = s.repository.NextRefreshAt(ctx, merchantID, terminalID, growth.AnalyticsVersion, s.now())
diff --git a/internal/growthreport/repository.go b/internal/growthreport/repository.go
index 26e7349..79eddeb 100644
--- a/internal/growthreport/repository.go
+++ b/internal/growthreport/repository.go
@@ -295,7 +295,7 @@ func (r *Repository) DatasetMetadata(ctx context.Context) (string, time.Time, er
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", time.Time{}, fmt.Errorf("loading growth dataset metadata: %w", err)
 	}
-	return sha + ":" + latest.Format(time.DateOnly), latest.AddDate(0, 0, 1), nil
+	return sha + ":" + latest.Format(time.DateOnly), latest, nil
 }
 
 func (r *Repository) CleanupSuperseded(ctx context.Context, cutoff time.Time) (int64, error) {
diff --git a/internal/growthreport/service_test.go b/internal/growthreport/service_test.go
index d7f46f5..793b091 100644
--- a/internal/growthreport/service_test.go
+++ b/internal/growthreport/service_test.go
@@ -27,6 +27,16 @@ func TestNextTehranRefreshUsesCalendarBoundary(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestTehranTodayUsesClockInsteadOfDatasetWatermark(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	now := time.Date(2026, time.August, 21, 8, 30, 0, 0, time.UTC)
+	got := tehranToday(now)
+	if got.Format(time.DateOnly) != "2026-08-21" {
+		t.Fatalf("tehranToday() = %s", got.Format(time.DateOnly))
+	}
+}
+
 func TestEstimatedTokenReservationCoversEveryRetryAndTurn(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 	small := EstimatedTokenReservation([]byte("{}"))
diff --git a/internal/growthreport/time.go b/internal/growthreport/time.go
index fc13daf..643ac3a 100644
--- a/internal/growthreport/time.go
+++ b/internal/growthreport/time.go
@@ -2,6 +2,15 @@ package growthreport
 
 import "time"
 
+func tehranToday(now time.Time) time.Time {
+	location, err := time.LoadLocation("Asia/Tehran")
+	if err != nil {
+		location = time.FixedZone("Asia/Tehran", 12600)
+	}
+	local := now.In(location)
+	return time.Date(local.Year(), local.Month(), local.Day(), 0, 0, 0, 0, location)
+}
+
 func NextTehranRefresh(now time.Time) time.Time {
 	location, err := time.LoadLocation("Asia/Tehran")
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/internal/insight/time.go b/internal/insight/time.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1fdcf40
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/insight/time.go
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+package insight
+
+import "time"
+
+type Freshness string
+
+const (
+	FreshnessFresh   Freshness = "FRESH"
+	FreshnessLagging Freshness = "LAGGING"
+	FreshnessStale   Freshness = "STALE"
+)
+
+type TimeContext struct {
+	AsOfDate          string    `json:"asOfDate"`
+	DataThroughDate   string    `json:"dataThroughDate"`
+	ForecastStartDate string    `json:"forecastStartDate"`
+	Freshness         Freshness `json:"freshness"`
+	DataLagDays       int       `json:"dataLagDays"`
+}
+
+func BuildTimeContext(now, dataThrough time.Time) TimeContext {
+	location, err := time.LoadLocation("Asia/Tehran")
+	if err != nil {
+		location = time.FixedZone("Asia/Tehran", 3*60*60+30*60)
+	}
+	today := dateOnly(now.In(location), location)
+	through := dateOnly(dataThrough.In(location), location)
+	lag := max(0, int(today.Sub(through).Hours()/24))
+	return TimeContext{
+		AsOfDate: today.Format(time.DateOnly), DataThroughDate: through.Format(time.DateOnly),
+		ForecastStartDate: today.Format(time.DateOnly), Freshness: ClassifyFreshness(lag), DataLagDays: lag,
+	}
+}
+
+func ClassifyFreshness(lagDays int) Freshness {
+	switch {
+	case lagDays <= 1:
+		return FreshnessFresh
+	case lagDays <= 7:
+		return FreshnessLagging
+	default:
+		return FreshnessStale
+	}
+}
+
+func dateOnly(value time.Time, location *time.Location) time.Time {
+	year, month, day := value.In(location).Date()
+	return time.Date(year, month, day, 0, 0, 0, 0, location)
+}
diff --git a/internal/insight/time_test.go b/internal/insight/time_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..101ff94
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/insight/time_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+package insight
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+)
+
+func TestTimeContextUsesRealTehranTodayAndReportsDatasetLag(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	now := time.Date(2026, time.August, 21, 8, 30, 0, 0, time.UTC)
+	dataThrough := time.Date(2026, time.June, 30, 0, 0, 0, 0, time.UTC)
+
+	got := BuildTimeContext(now, dataThrough)
+
+	if got.AsOfDate != "2026-08-21" {
+		t.Fatalf("AsOfDate = %q, want real Tehran date", got.AsOfDate)
+	}
+	if got.DataThroughDate != "2026-06-30" {
+		t.Fatalf("DataThroughDate = %q", got.DataThroughDate)
+	}
+	if got.ForecastStartDate != got.AsOfDate {
+		t.Fatalf("ForecastStartDate = %q, want %q", got.ForecastStartDate, got.AsOfDate)
+	}
+	if got.Freshness != FreshnessStale || got.DataLagDays != 52 {
+		t.Fatalf("freshness = %s, lag = %d", got.Freshness, got.DataLagDays)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestClassifyFreshnessUsesProductionBoundaries(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	tests := []struct {
+		name string
+		lag  int
+		want Freshness
+	}{
+		{name: "same day", lag: 0, want: FreshnessFresh},
+		{name: "yesterday", lag: 1, want: FreshnessFresh},
+		{name: "two days", lag: 2, want: FreshnessLagging},
+		{name: "seven days", lag: 7, want: FreshnessLagging},
+		{name: "eight days", lag: 8, want: FreshnessStale},
+	}
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			if got := ClassifyFreshness(tt.lag); got != tt.want {
+				t.Fatalf("ClassifyFreshness(%d) = %s, want %s", tt.lag, got, tt.want)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}