Labour metrics flounder in February

Relatively stable or tending-to-rise unemployment rate combined with falling labour participation indicate employment rate is falling

In February 2020, the unemployment rate was 7.8 per cent. This is higher than it was in January 2020, when the unemployment rate was 7.2 per cent. During the four weeks of February, the unemployment rate was above 8 per cent for three weeks. It was 8.5 per cent in the first week, 8.1 in the second week and again in the fourth week. The rate fell to 7.4 per cent in the third week, which pulled down the average for the month to 7.8 per cent.
 
The unemployment rate has risen in 2019-20. The average rate for the