Unemployment Rate
The unemployment rate measures the share of the workforce without a job, and is read alongside NFP for the full jobs picture.
The unemployment rate is the share of the workforce actively looking for work and unable to find it. Low unemployment pushes central banks toward higher rates, which tends to support the currency.
The unemployment rate is the percentage of the labour force that is actively looking for work but cannot find it. In the US it is published monthly alongside Non-Farm Payrolls, in the same jobs report. Central banks treat low unemployment as a sign the economy is running hot, which can feed inflation and push rates higher, so the figure moves currencies even when the headline jobs number is steady.
How It Works
- Published monthly with NFP in the US jobs report
- A falling rate tightens the labour market and raises inflation pressure
- The participation rate matters too - people dropping out of the workforce can distort the headline
Related Terms
Sources
- US Bureau of Labor StatisticsOfficial unemployment data
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