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Data from FRED. Forecasts by Sigmanomics Forecast Engine.
United KingdomUK UK Unemployment Rate held to 4.9 Percent in December 2025
FREDMonthlyReleased January 2026
UK UK Unemployment Rate held to 4.9 Percent in December 2025, released January 2026.
Latest Release
4.90
Latest (2026)
4.90
Previous
World Bank
Source
Sigmacast Track Record
Sigmacast track record will appear here once this indicator has been released 3+ times since Sigmanomics began tracking.
Sigmacast Σ-direction model: consensus + ½ × mean(surprise, trailing 90d).
CORRELATED SYMBOLS— markets that historically move with this indicator
| Symbol | Direction | Correlation | Asset Class | Signal Bias | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | ▲ Direct | +0.87 | FOREX | Bullish EUR | → View |
| USD/JPY | ▼ Inverse | −0.51 | FOREX | Bearish USD | → View |
| XAU/USD | ▲ Direct | +0.51 | COMMODITIES | Bullish XAU | → View |
| GBP/USD | ▲ Direct | +0.51 | FOREX | Bullish GBP | → View |
| BTC/USD | ▼ Inverse | −0.43 | CRYPTO | Bearish BTC | → View |
Correlation based on 12-month rolling window. Click any symbol to view its Sigmanomics forecast page.
THE RELEASE
UK Unemployment Rate (United Kingdom) was reported at 4.90 Percent in December 2025. The reading was unchanged from the previous release. Over the past 12 months, the indicator has averaged 5.04 Percent, ranging from 4.80 Percent to 5.20 Percent across 7 releases. This is classified as a high-impact indicator released on a monthly basis.
WHY IT MATTERS
The trailing three releases averaged 5.10 Percent, up from the prior three at 5.07 Percent. Volatility over the past year (σ 0.14 Percent) is lower than the prior year (σ 0.18 Percent). In January readings over the past 3 years, UK Unemployment Rate has averaged 4.50 Percent.
THE MODEL'S TAKE
Historically, this indicator is positively correlated with EUR/USD (Bullish EUR). A secondary relationship exists with USD/JPY, negatively correlated (Bearish USD).
Auto-generated from current model state · Refreshes on each release · Last update January 2026.
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UK Unemployment Rate - GB
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About UK Unemployment Rate — United Kingdom
DEFINITION
GB’s UK Unemployment Rate rose to 5.2% in November 2025, up from 5.1% in October, marking the highest level since early 2021. The rate has increased steadily for nine months, climbing from 4.5% in February and signaling growing slack in the labour market. Bond yields fell modestly as investors reassessed growth prospects amid mounting labour market pressures. Updated 4/3/26
WHY THIS INDICATOR MATTERS
This release contributes to the broader macro picture used by cross-asset investors for positioning and risk management. Surprises against consensus typically move rates and currencies on release. Released monthly.
WHAT CHANGED THIS MONTH
Latest reading (Jan 2026): actual 4.9 Percent. Prior reading (Dec 2025): 5.2 Percent. Before that (Nov 2025): 5.2 Percent.
WHAT'S NEXT
This indicator correlates most strongly with EUR/USD (Bullish EUR, r=0.87) — a useful reference for forex-focused traders.