Economic IndicatorsBeginner📖 3 min read

Unemployment Rate

The percentage of the labor force seeking work.

Type
Lagging Indicator
Calculation
(Unemployed / Labor Force) × 100

The Unemployment Rate represents the number of unemployed people as a percentage of the labor force. It is a lagging indicator, meaning it generally rises or falls *after* the economy has changed direction.

Understanding the Data

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To be counted as unemployed, you must be actively looking for work. Giving up on looking removes you from the labor force completely.

Key Takeaways

1

Low unemployment can lead to wage inflation.

2

High unemployment reduces consumer spending.

3

Lagging indicator of economic health.

Related Terms

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