| Consensus | Consensus Range | Actual | Previous | |
| Adjusted | 3.0% | 3.0% to 3.0% | 3.0% | 3.0% |
| Not Adjusted | 3.1% | 3.2% |
Highlights
The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate held steady in March at 3.0 percent, while the unadjusted measure fell to 3.1 percent from 3.2 percent in February.
Job openings were slightly lower, falling to 45,230 on a seasonally adjusted basis from 45,881 the month before. The ranks of jobseekers increased to 227,901 in March from 223,844 the month before. Taken together, these results suggest a slackening in the labor market.
In the chemical and refinery sector, unemployment dipped to 3.5 percent from 3.6 percent in March, while the watch industry saw the jobless rate fall to 5.8 percent from 6.0 percent in February. The latter industry was hit hard by the US tariffs, but now appears to be back on track.
Market Consensus Before Announcement
No change seen at 3.0 percent.
Definition
The unemployment rate measures the number of unemployed as a percentage of the labour force. Both seasonally adjusted and unadjusted monthly data are provided.
Description
Like the employment data, unemployment data help to gauge the current state as well as the future direction of the economy. Employment data are categorized by sectors. This sector data can go a long way in helping investors determine in which economic sectors they intend to invest.
By tracking the jobs data, investors can sense the degree of tightness in the job market. If employment is tight it is a good bet that interest rates will rise and bond and stock prices will fall. In contrast, when job growth is slow or negative, then interest rates are likely to decline - boosting up bond and stock prices in the process.