LaborBureau of Labor StatisticsMonthly
Unemployment Rate
What is Unemployment Rate?
Percentage of the labor force that is jobless and actively seeking employment.
Why it matters
A lagging indicator that confirms regime shifts.
How to read prints
When it rises
Labor market is weakening; recession-risk indicators flag, supports cuts.
When it falls
Labor market is tight; wage pressure persists, supports hold or hike.
Frequently asked
What is the Unemployment Rate?⌄
The percentage of the civilian labor force that is jobless and actively looking for work, from the BLS Household Survey.
How does the Sahm Rule use this?⌄
When the 3-month average unemployment rate rises 0.5 percentage points above its 12-month low, the Sahm Rule signals a recession has likely begun.
What is U-6?⌄
U-6 is a broader unemployment measure that includes part-time-for-economic-reasons and marginally attached workers. It is typically 3 to 4 points above U-3.
Why can low unemployment be bad for markets?⌄
Very low unemployment can mean wage pressure, sticky services inflation, and the Fed staying hawkish longer.
Track it on Market Ontology
Monitor Unemployment Rate in real time on Growth & Real Economy, alongside regime classification, transmission mapping, and cross-asset context.
| Source | Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| Frequency | Monthly |
| Category | Labor |
| FRED Series | UNRATE |
| Unit | % |
| Related Module | Growth & Real Economy |
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