US Unemployment Rate
Latest release · October 2
4.2%September 2026
- Prior (August 2026) 4.1%
- 3-yr high 4.5% (November 2025)
- 3-yr low 3.7% (January 2024)
Source: FRED · updated October 2
Next release date
November 6, 2026 (Fri)
8:30 AMET
Upcoming releases
- December 4, 2026 (Fri)8:30 AM
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Release dates and times are set by the issuing agency and can change. · Schedule source: FRED Economic Release Calendar
How markets moved at the last release
Released October 2, 8:30 AM (ET) · change from the price just before
| Market | After 15 min | After 1 hr | 15-min range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | +0.58% | +0.17% | 0.97% |
| Nasdaq 100 futures | +0.37% | +0.51% | 0.52% |
| EUR/USD | +0.08% | +0.17% | 0.26% |
Released at the same time:Average Hourly Earnings m/m, Non-Farm Employment Change, Unemployment Rate
Change from the close of the 1-minute bar just before the release. Other news and order flow at that moment are in these numbers too, so they can’t be pinned on this release alone. Based on the Merini demo feed (MT5 1-minute bars).
Read alongside: Non-Farm Payrolls (NFP) →
Recent history
Actual value| Period | Actual |
|---|---|
| Sep 2026 | 4.2% |
| Aug 2026 | 4.1% |
| Jul 2026 | 4.1% |
| Jun 2026 | 4.2% |
| May 2026 | 4.3% |
| Apr 2026 | 4.3% |
Latest revised values from FRED — they can differ from the figure first reported, and the most recent value may be preliminary. Source: FRED · UNRATE · Sep 2026
Key facts
The unemployment rate is the share of the labor force that is actively looking for work, released on the same day as Non-Farm Payrolls (NFP). It is a headline measure of the health of the U.S. labor market.
- Released by
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
- Frequency
- First Friday of each month
- Category
- Jobs
- Assets affected
- USD · Gold · equity indices
Why the market watches it
The unemployment rate feeds directly into policy through the Fed's dual mandate of price stability and maximum employment. It is read together with NFP and average hourly earnings as a sign of a labor market overheating or cooling.
How traders read it
Read the unemployment rate together with NFP and wages. A low rate can still be read differently if job growth is slowing or wages are climbing fast.
Want to see the impact for yourself?
The Merini demo opens without an account: watch real-time charts of gold, oil, FX and more around the release (Nasdaq and S&P futures are delayed 10 minutes until you sign up). Sign up free ($10,000 in virtual funds) only when you want to practise trading. In your browser, no install — a paper simulation.
Open the live charts — no sign-upFrequently asked questions
When is the next US Unemployment Rate release?
The next US Unemployment Rate release is scheduled for November 6, 2026 (Fri) at 8:30 AM US Eastern Time. Following dates: December 4.
Which matters more, the unemployment rate or NFP?
Both come from the same report and are read together. Markets usually react more immediately to the change in jobs (NFP), but the rate and wages round out the picture.
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