Economic policy uncertainty index rises as recessions loom: Index of economic policy uncertainty, average = 100

Date Economic Policy Uncertainty Index  Unemployment Rate
1985-02-01 99.02081 7.2%
1985-03-01 112.19051 7.2%
1985-04-01 102.81132 7.3%
1985-05-01 120.08272 7.2%
1985-06-01 132.71319 7.4%
1985-07-01 128.00182 7.4%
1985-08-01 126.76611 7.1%
1985-09-01 126.76856 7.1%
1985-10-01 116.05771 7.1%
1985-11-01 122.03688 7.0%
1985-12-01 133.24392 7.0%
1986-01-01 155.93292 6.7%
1986-02-01 159.46768 7.2%
1986-03-01 160.1981 7.2%
1986-04-01 150.36626 7.1%
1986-05-01 132.63792 7.2%
1986-06-01 122.51177 7.2%
1986-07-01 132.11963 7.0%
1986-08-01 127.5525 6.9%
1986-09-01 132.01833 7.0%
1986-10-01 111.50927 7.0%
1986-11-01 115.02029 6.9%
1986-12-01 108.96811 6.6%
1987-01-01 122.11428 6.6%
1987-02-01 109.14523 6.6%
1987-03-01 122.08486 6.6%
1987-04-01 110.85971 6.3%
1987-05-01 110.04291 6.3%
1987-06-01 121.15791 6.2%
1987-07-01 106.348 6.1%
1987-08-01 74.83796 6.0%
1987-09-01 78.98139 5.9%
1987-10-01 143.60309 6.0%
1987-11-01 155.42208 5.8%
1987-12-01 135.47265 5.7%
1988-01-01 131.52146 5.7%
1988-02-01 116.58432 5.7%
1988-03-01 105.05246 5.7%
1988-04-01 113.65598 5.4%
1988-05-01 96.14572 5.6%
1988-06-01 89.78251 5.4%
1988-07-01 85.18198 5.4%
1988-08-01 100.15845 5.6%
1988-09-01 94.55409 5.4%
1988-10-01 102.23078 5.4%
1988-11-01 113.95989 5.3%
1988-12-01 99.66633 5.3%
1989-01-01 105.07536 5.4%
1989-02-01 84.84484 5.2%
1989-03-01 97.21567 5.0%
1989-04-01 108.86306 5.2%
1989-05-01 87.81604 5.2%
1989-06-01 94.83974 5.3%
1989-07-01 84.56992 5.2%
1989-08-01 95.86038 5.2%
1989-09-01 90.9182 5.3%
1989-10-01 91.59669 5.3%
1989-11-01 107.84913 5.4%
1989-12-01 107.09523 5.4%
1990-01-01 100.35918 5.4%
1990-02-01 89.59095 5.3%
1990-03-01 86.06529 5.2%
1990-04-01 76.6617 5.4%
1990-05-01 118.53795 5.4%
1990-06-01 120.52674 5.2%
1990-07-01 111.56962 5.5%
1990-08-01 142.16524 5.7%
1990-09-01 157.69529 5.9%
1990-10-01 141.11953 5.9%
1990-11-01 145.29094 6.2%
1990-12-01 134.48512 6.3%
1991-01-01 175.65861 6.4%
1991-02-01 115.21345 6.6%
1991-03-01 116.02571 6.8%
1991-04-01 107.24167 6.7%
1991-05-01 94.75868 6.9%
1991-06-01 96.9376 6.9%
1991-07-01 93.53158 6.8%
1991-08-01 100.59554 6.9%
1991-09-01 117.04782 6.9%
1991-10-01 105.54142 7.0%
1991-11-01 122.24914 7.0%
1991-12-01 139.99912 7.3%
1992-01-01 109.20085 7.3%
1992-02-01 125.53676 7.4%
1992-03-01 91.70582 7.4%
1992-04-01 87.58229 7.4%
1992-05-01 96.87494 7.6%
1992-06-01 122.34916 7.8%
1992-07-01 120.91493 7.7%
1992-08-01 115.90751 7.6%
1992-09-01 127.01963 7.6%
1992-10-01 138.52178 7.3%
1992-11-01 118.77686 7.4%
1992-12-01 106.86792 7.4%
1993-01-01 102.53033 7.3%
1993-02-01 119.96253 7.1%
1993-03-01 121.55786 7.0%
1993-04-01 109.25684 7.1%
1993-05-01 133.58967 7.1%
1993-06-01 126.04877 7.0%
1993-07-01 117.5845 6.9%
1993-08-01 106.03237 6.8%
1993-09-01 106.27469 6.7%
1993-10-01 84.48769 6.8%
1993-11-01 84.55661 6.6%
1993-12-01 77.52033 6.5%
1994-01-01 80.0098 6.6%
1994-02-01 94.5927 6.6%
1994-03-01 87.00632 6.5%
1994-04-01 100.41637 6.4%
1994-05-01 96.5273 6.1%
1994-06-01 92.37979 6.1%
1994-07-01 85.37095 6.1%
1994-08-01 92.82606 6.0%
1994-09-01 90.63002 5.9%
1994-10-01 76.49899 5.8%
1994-11-01 91.77528 5.6%
1994-12-01 91.795 5.5%
1995-01-01 107.95494 5.6%
1995-02-01 86.32307 5.4%
1995-03-01 78.09662 5.4%
1995-04-01 65.99178 5.8%
1995-05-01 74.70236 5.6%
1995-06-01 79.67356 5.6%
1995-07-01 83.03811 5.7%
1995-08-01 66.76376 5.7%
1995-09-01 75.22518 5.6%
1995-10-01 80.62605 5.5%
1995-11-01 90.53283 5.6%
1995-12-01 84.34724 5.6%
1996-01-01 90.66317 5.6%
1996-02-01 75.83463 5.5%
1996-03-01 72.65243 5.5%
1996-04-01 69.19065 5.6%
1996-05-01 69.42779 5.6%
1996-06-01 81.17971 5.3%
1996-07-01 73.61083 5.5%
1996-08-01 83.65826 5.1%
1996-09-01 77.97562 5.2%
1996-10-01 64.19595 5.2%
1996-11-01 74.20867 5.4%
1996-12-01 69.97417 5.4%
1997-01-01 74.96831 5.3%
1997-02-01 87.69729 5.2%
1997-03-01 75.01231 5.2%
1997-04-01 75.45429 5.1%
1997-05-01 73.45813 4.9%
1997-06-01 78.48298 5.0%
1997-07-01 73.89487 4.9%
1997-08-01 63.80988 4.8%
1997-09-01 61.15956 4.9%
1997-10-01 83.65215 4.7%
1997-11-01 78.39389 4.6%
1997-12-01 88.74448 4.7%
1998-01-01 91.04062 4.6%
1998-02-01 88.81944 4.6%
1998-03-01 78.38832 4.7%
1998-04-01 73.20014 4.3%
1998-05-01 75.8551 4.4%
1998-06-01 76.28635 4.5%
1998-07-01 88.17701 4.5%
1998-08-01 101.40807 4.5%
1998-09-01 123.96147 4.6%
1998-10-01 109.88134 4.5%
1998-11-01 92.94632 4.4%
1998-12-01 91.40618 4.4%
1999-01-01 98.64504 4.3%
1999-02-01 82.38359 4.4%
1999-03-01 66.00054 4.2%
1999-04-01 67.53295 4.3%
1999-05-01 67.08854 4.2%
1999-06-01 73.01111 4.3%
1999-07-01 79.81311 4.3%
1999-08-01 69.55318 4.2%
1999-09-01 69.81624 4.2%
1999-10-01 62.71155 4.1%
1999-11-01 82.06383 4.1%
1999-12-01 83.80947 4.0%
2000-01-01 89.20154 4.0%
2000-02-01 77.60139 4.1%
2000-03-01 77.54831 4.0%
2000-04-01 76.05923 3.8%
2000-05-01 97.9862 4.0%
2000-06-01 92.96502 4.0%
2000-07-01 79.44697 4.0%
2000-08-01 66.58133 4.1%
2000-09-01 75.14165 3.9%
2000-10-01 84.66172 3.9%
2000-11-01 125.06753 3.9%
2000-12-01 115.26872 3.9%
2001-01-01 111.41604 4.2%
2001-02-01 110.91785 4.2%
2001-03-01 116.02693 4.3%
2001-04-01 122.6734 4.4%
2001-05-01 100.42901 4.3%
2001-06-01 86.39027 4.5%
2001-07-01 102.13185 4.6%
2001-08-01 84.28912 4.9%
2001-09-01 188.05949 5.0%
2001-10-01 173.14334 5.3%
2001-11-01 130.57563 5.5%
2001-12-01 117.23658 5.7%
2002-01-01 116.83745 5.7%
2002-02-01 87.60069 5.7%
2002-03-01 83.44043 5.7%
2002-04-01 88.5661 5.9%
2002-05-01 86.29886 5.8%
2002-06-01 93.61022 5.8%
2002-07-01 110.30517 5.8%
2002-08-01 116.01482 5.7%
2002-09-01 124.04315 5.7%
2002-10-01 111.88598 5.7%
2002-11-01 123.28439 5.9%
2002-12-01 122.22166 6.0%
2003-01-01 138.9534 5.8%
2003-02-01 126.72774 5.9%
2003-03-01 163.52381 5.9%
2003-04-01 135.62755 6.0%
2003-05-01 102.61982 6.1%
2003-06-01 95.82729 6.3%
2003-07-01 91.74151 6.2%
2003-08-01 95.67182 6.1%
2003-09-01 106.11577 6.1%
2003-10-01 88.04379 6.0%
2003-11-01 84.91824 5.8%
2003-12-01 91.73699 5.7%
2004-01-01 96.56646 5.7%
2004-02-01 99.4573 5.6%
2004-03-01 96.78947 5.8%
2004-04-01 94.11529 5.6%
2004-05-01 92.32118 5.6%
2004-06-01 85.34598 5.6%
2004-07-01 87.54419 5.5%
2004-08-01 85.92587 5.4%
2004-09-01 100.01189 5.4%
2004-10-01 105.69511 5.5%
2004-11-01 95.24086 5.4%
2004-12-01 77.59643 5.4%
2005-01-01 73.91848 5.3%
2005-02-01 58.95005 5.4%
2005-03-01 57.55796 5.2%
2005-04-01 74.56597 5.2%
2005-05-01 70.50812 5.1%
2005-06-01 74.56133 5.0%
2005-07-01 68.71645 5.0%
2005-08-01 64.39586 4.9%
2005-09-01 91.40605 5.0%
2005-10-01 76.16369 5.0%
2005-11-01 72.21598 5.0%
2005-12-01 78.04893 4.9%
2006-01-01 79.17535 4.7%
2006-02-01 72.69299 4.8%
2006-03-01 64.22933 4.7%
2006-04-01 79.76153 4.7%
2006-05-01 70.83626 4.6%
2006-06-01 79.49433 4.6%
2006-07-01 80.56231 4.7%
2006-08-01 72.76996 4.7%
2006-09-01 67.06754 4.5%
2006-10-01 63.46447 4.4%
2006-11-01 62.51985 4.5%
2006-12-01 63.37041 4.4%
2007-01-01 79.01967 4.6%
2007-02-01 57.20262 4.5%
2007-03-01 69.88729 4.4%
2007-04-01 62.50171 4.5%
2007-05-01 74.68187 4.4%
2007-06-01 73.29654 4.6%
2007-07-01 59.32398 4.7%
2007-08-01 89.10405 4.6%
2007-09-01 100.74438 4.7%
2007-10-01 89.45453 4.7%
2007-11-01 102.44111 4.7%
2007-12-01 108.54379 5.0%
2008-01-01 144.98473 5.0%
2008-02-01 108.10469 4.9%
2008-03-01 111.71236 5.1%
2008-04-01 102.1969 5.0%
2008-05-01 94.28405 5.4%
2008-06-01 94.55676 5.6%
2008-07-01 109.78898 5.8%
2008-08-01 95.87075 6.1%
2008-09-01 187.7403 6.1%
2008-10-01 189.91729 6.5%
2008-11-01 148.84257 6.8%
2008-12-01 145.9947 7.3%
2009-01-01 171.94621 7.8%
2009-02-01 187.11403 8.3%
2009-03-01 166.90338 8.7%
2009-04-01 131.85612 9.0%
2009-05-01 138.80585 9.4%
2009-06-01 130.93348 9.5%
2009-07-01 126.28215 9.5%
2009-08-01 152.55009 9.6%
2009-09-01 145.44437 9.8%
2009-10-01 138.13055 10.0%
2009-11-01 116.16231 9.9%
2009-12-01 121.22101 9.9%
2010-01-01 149.35928 9.8%
2010-02-01 132.79865 9.8%
2010-03-01 137.47003 9.9%
2010-04-01 137.0774 9.9%
2010-05-01 151.10342 9.6%
2010-06-01 140.56916 9.4%
2010-07-01 180.01446 9.4%
2010-08-01 147.30909 9.5%
2010-09-01 182.14672 9.5%
2010-10-01 163.42489 9.4%
2010-11-01 179.13559 9.8%
2010-12-01 165.40785 9.3%
2011-01-01 142.17046 9.1%
2011-02-01 145.5089 9.0%
2011-03-01 174.35437 9.0%
2011-04-01 157.49588 9.1%
2011-05-01 126.19207 9.0%
2011-06-01 158.08862 9.1%
2011-07-01 197.91636 9.0%
2011-08-01 245.12671 9.0%
2011-09-01 204.62979 9.0%
2011-10-01 159.73957 8.8%
2011-11-01 166.33902 8.6%
2011-12-01 189.39836 8.5%
2012-01-01 178.28653 8.3%
2012-02-01 149.63708 8.3%
2012-03-01 137.55312 8.2%
2012-04-01 136.59669 8.2%
2012-05-01 158.56198 8.2%
2012-06-01 194.61057 8.2%
2012-07-01 184.8797 8.2%
2012-08-01 152.35347 8.1%
2012-09-01 175.27705 7.8%
2012-10-01 165.94452 7.8%
2012-11-01 187.49064 7.7%
2012-12-01 192.82518 7.9%
2013-01-01 157.5333 8.0%
2013-02-01 114.65412 7.7%
2013-03-01 124.94082 7.5%
2013-04-01 118.71049 7.6%
2013-05-01 104.30455 7.5%
2013-06-01 114.61614 7.5%
2013-07-01 94.03991 7.3%
2013-08-01 102.77067 7.2%
2013-09-01 144.40178 7.2%
2013-10-01 171.02225 7.2%
2013-11-01 89.90614 6.9%
2013-12-01 104.60212 6.7%
2014-01-01 93.50074 6.6%
2014-02-01 88.98535 6.7%
2014-03-01 93.46759 6.7%
2014-04-01 91.11802 6.2%
2014-05-01 90.39225 6.3%
2014-06-01 81.00762 6.1%
2014-07-01 76.64489 6.2%
2014-08-01 71.26214 6.1%
2014-09-01 84.33692 5.9%
2014-10-01 100.20666 5.7%
2014-11-01 88.56003 5.8%
2014-12-01 85.1875 5.6%
2015-01-01 117.16063 5.7%
2015-02-01 100.31974 5.5%
2015-03-01 105.21813 5.4%
2015-04-01 109.64379 5.4%
2015-05-01 101.01894 5.6%
2015-06-01 108.95279 5.3%
2015-07-01 98.91843 5.2%
2015-08-01 129.69532 5.1%
2015-09-01 138.72169 5.0%
2015-10-01 102.89402 5.0%
2015-11-01 92.10044 5.1%
2015-12-01 99.34261 5.0%
2016-01-01 119.01519 4.8%
2016-02-01 114.62456 4.9%
2016-03-01 104.19081 5.0%
2016-04-01 84.25134 5.1%
2016-05-01 82.04127 4.8%
2016-06-01 162.62912 4.9%
2016-07-01 121.96465 4.8%
2016-08-01 91.8289 4.9%
2016-09-01 79.80896 5.0%
2016-10-01 92.51785 4.9%
2016-11-01 169.37782 4.7%
2016-12-01 115.15205 4.7%
2017-01-01 134.86953 4.7%
2017-02-01 133.33148 4.6%
2017-03-01 119.77617 4.4%
2017-04-01 121.57059 4.4%
2017-05-01 104.17097 4.4%
2017-06-01 98.75896 4.3%
2017-07-01 110.7536 4.3%
2017-08-01 109.17827 4.4%
2017-09-01 96.75077 4.3%
2017-10-01 102.16057 4.2%
2017-11-01 94.48961 4.2%
2017-12-01 111.49723 4.1%
2018-01-01 123.65156 4.0%
2018-02-01 94.00742 4.1%
2018-03-01 136.33432 4.0%
2018-04-01 108.21374 4.0%
2018-05-01 124.93665 3.8%
2018-06-01 108.6274 4.0%
2018-07-01 133.08625 3.8%
2018-08-01 99.13562 3.8%
2018-09-01 102.6602 3.7%
2018-10-01 111.51257 3.8%
2018-11-01 130.22387 3.8%
2018-12-01 166.28681 3.9%
2019-01-01 201.03201 4.0%
2019-02-01 106.90066 3.8%
2019-03-01 140.24737 3.8%
2019-04-01 98.7367 3.7%
2019-05-01 122.53876 3.6%
2019-06-01 150.11678 3.6%
2019-07-01 149.9729 3.7%
2019-08-01 190.46323 3.6%
2019-09-01 134.36178 3.5%
2019-10-01 118.48822 3.6%
2019-11-01 131.75071 3.6%
2019-12-01 143.46725 3.6%
2020-01-01 131.39109 3.6%
2020-02-01 160.51565 3.5%
2020-03-01 283.14721 4.4%
2020-04-01 268.61639 14.8%
2020-05-01 350.45982 13.2%
2020-06-01 231.2598 11.0%
2020-07-01 305.96355 10.2%
2020-08-01 224.42637 8.4%
2020-09-01 218.05829 7.8%
2020-10-01 249.17362 6.9%
2020-11-01 246.7071 6.7%
2020-12-01 246.1261 6.7%
2021-01-01 207.91242 6.4%
2021-02-01 151.93288 6.2%
2021-03-01 139.8012 6.1%
2021-04-01 124.88952 6.1%
2021-05-01 147.01584 5.8%
2021-06-01 133.57887 5.9%
2021-07-01 152.91092 5.4%
2021-08-01 133.81455 5.1%
2021-09-01 142.06763 4.7%
2021-10-01 121.9515 4.5%
2021-11-01 151.28684 4.1%
2021-12-01 166.24265 3.9%
2022-01-01 139.23758 4.0%
2022-02-01 138.05353 3.9%
2022-03-01 190.01241 3.7%
2022-04-01 154.66196 3.7%
2022-05-01 168.00083 3.6%
2022-06-01 145.97594 3.6%
2022-07-01 186.92141 3.5%
2022-08-01 163.23982 3.6%
2022-09-01 174.18347 3.5%
2022-10-01 177.42313 3.6%
2022-11-01 171.73726 3.6%
2022-12-01 136.43315 3.5%
2023-01-01 139.12464 3.5%
2023-02-01 120.13662 3.6%
2023-03-01 147.9425 3.5%
2023-04-01 127.42137 3.4%
2023-05-01 156.19287 3.6%
2023-06-01 141.05706 3.6%
2023-07-01 113.79255 3.5%
2023-08-01 84.49314 3.7%
2023-09-01 108.39746 3.7%
2023-10-01 117.69793 3.9%
2023-11-01 125.4752 3.7%
2023-12-01 105.77133 3.8%
2024-01-01 121.96395 3.7%
2024-02-01 87.23672 3.9%
2024-03-01 93.20401 3.9%
2024-04-01 106.48626 3.9%
2024-05-01 103.8162 3.9%
2024-06-01 115.8524 4.1%
2024-07-01 116.29613 4.2%
2024-08-01 112.31229 4.2%
2024-09-01 105.89523 4.1%
2024-10-01 95.29997 4.1%
2024-11-01 160.52062 4.2%
2024-12-01 156.89088 4.1%
2025-01-01 167.38864 4.0%
2025-02-01 228.61916 4.2%
2025-03-01 297.08402 4.2%
2025-04-01 460.11432 4.2%
2025-05-01 364.0518 4.3%
2025-06-01 253.81813 4.1%
2025-07-01 251.757 4.3%
2025-08-01 254.12744 4.3%
2025-09-01 224.23756 4.4%
2025-10-01 218.22203
2025-11-01 225.13039 4.5%
Economic Policy Institute

Note: Six-month moving average. Updated December 5, 2025. 

Source: Data from the policyuncertainty.com website, maintained by Baker, Bloom and Davis. 

View the underlying data on epi.org.