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November 13, 2024

Rasmussen Real Unemployment Rate: STILL Double the Official Rate

National unemployment was 8.1% in this month’s Rasmussen Reports Real Unemployment update, down from 8.7% last month and significantly more than double the 4.1% rate officially reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics today. 

March 3, 2015

Rasmussen Employment Index Matches Six-Year High

For the most recent results on the Rasmussen Reports Employment Index and other economic data, please click here.

The Rasmussen Employment Index which measures worker confidence rose a point in February to tie the highest level measured in six years.

At 104.2, worker confidence is up from 103.3 in January and matches December’s all-time high. The index fell to a recent low of 81.2 in October 2013 but gained steadily after that. After the Wall Street meltdown in the fall of 2008, the index fell dramatically, hitting an all-time low of 57.8 in July 2009.

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The survey of 8,853 working Americans was conducted in February 2015 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 1 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

March 1, 2015

One-in-three Consumers Have Positive View of Economy

Effective March 2, Rasmussen Reports daily economic polling is no longer published on our website. For those interested in continuing to receive this data please call 732.776.9777x205 or send e-mail to beth@rasmussenreports.com.

The Rasmussen Consumer Index, which measures consumer confidence on a daily basis, rose a point on Sunday to 107.1. Consumer confidence is even with a week ago, down five points from a month ago and up three points from three months ago.

The Rasmussen Investor Index dropped two points on Sunday to 124.4. Investor confidence is down two points from a week ago, but up two points from a month ago and up four points from three months ago.

Detailed supplemental information, including a daily history and month-by-month trend data, is available for Platinum Members. 

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The Rasmussen Consumer Index and Investor Indexes are derived from nightly telephone surveys of 1,200 adults and reported on a three-day rolling average basis. The baseline for the Index was established at 100.0 in October 2001. Readings above 100.0 indicate that confidence is higher than in the baseline month. Detailed supplemental information is available for Platinum MembersHistorical data for the Consumer and Investor indexes as well as attitudes about the economy and personal finances are also available to Platinum Members.

March 4, 2014

Rasmussen Employment Index Gains Two Points in February

The Rasmussen Employment Index which measures worker confidence rose two points in February, continuing the upward trend it began in November.

At 92.1, worker confidence is at its highest level since June but is still down two points from the all-time high of 94.4 in May of last year. The index hit a low for 2013 of 81.2 in October. It stood at 85.6 in February a year ago.

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 9,237 working Americans was conducted in February 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 1 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

February 4, 2014

Rasmussen Employment Index Holds Steady in January

The Rasmussen Employment Index which measures worker confidence rose less than half a point in January, just barely continuing the upward trend it began in November.

At 90.2, worker confidence is still at its highest level since June but is down five points from the all-time high of 94.4 in May of last year. The index hit a low for 2013 of 81.2 in October. It stood at 87.1 in January 2013.

Generally speaking, an increase in the Rasmussen Employment Index suggests the upcoming government report on job creation will be stronger than the prior month’s report.

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 9,060 working Americans was conducted in January 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 1 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

December 3, 2013

Rasmussen Employment Index Jumps Five Points

The Rasmussen Employment Index which measures worker confidence rebounded in November after falling to a low for the year in October.

At 85.7, worker confidence is up five points from October, the month of the partial government shutdown, but is still down nearly nine points from this year’s high of 94.4 in May.  Last month marks the highest level of confidence since August and is up seven points from 79.0 this time last year.

Generally speaking, an increase in the Rasmussen Employment Index suggests the upcoming government report on job creation will be stronger than the prior month’s report.

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October 2, 2012

September Employment Index Rebounds Slightly From Recent Low

After falling to a 10-month low in August, the Rasmussen Employment Index rebounded slightly in September. At 76.6, the Employment Index is up five points from a month ago  but still down four points from July. With the exception of the last month, this is the lowest level of confidence measured since October of last year.

Generally speaking, an increase in the Rasmussen Employment Index suggests the upcoming government reports on job creation will be stronger than the prior month’s report.

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The survey of 8,975 working Americans was conducted in September 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 1 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

August 21, 2012

Americans More Optimistic About Their Financial Security In August

Americans are feeling better about their finances this month than one year ago when their confidence hit an all-time low, according to the COUNTRY Financial Security Index®. The Index inched up 0.8 points to 65.9 in August after slipping 1.1 points in June. This comes exactly one year after the Index reached its lowest reading ever at 62.4. This uptick in confidence also marks the first August increase since 2008 and the highest August Index reading since that year.

July 3, 2012

Consumer Confidence Declines in June

Consumer confidence in the economy and personal finances, which are key economic indicators, worsened in June to the lowest levels since January 2012. The Discover U.S. Spending Monitor, a 5-year-old daily poll tracking economic confidence and spending intentions of nearly 8,200 consumers throughout the month, declined 4.8 points to 90.7 in June.

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March 6, 2012

Rasmussen Employment Index Hits Highest Level Since 2008 Financial Crisis

The Rasmussen Employment Index, which measures workers’ perceptions of the labor market each month, jumped seven points in February to its highest level since September 2008. At 87.7, the index is up 11 points from three months ago and nine points from a year ago. The Employment Index is also nearly four points higher than the level measured in November 2010, which represented the peak of the post-bailout era. Worker confidence is less than half-a-point below the level measured just before the financial sector meltdown in late 2008.

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January 31, 2012

Rasmussen Employment Index Climbs To 15-Month High

The Rasmussen Employment Index, which measures workers’ perceptions of the labor market each month, rose almost two points in January to reach 80.7, its highest level since November 2010.

Generally speaking, an increase in the Rasmussen Employment Index suggests the upcoming government reports on job creation will be better than the prior month’s.

January’s index is four points above the level measured at the start of 2011 and is up 14 points from January 2010. While confidence in the labor market is improving, the Employment Index is still down three points from November 2010, which represented the peak of the post-bailout era.

January 1, 2012

Personal Finance Ratings Up in December

On the final day of 2011, 36% of American adults rated their own finances as good or excellent. That was most optimistic assessment of the month and highlighted a trend of modestly improving confidence during the final two months of the year.

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November 30, 2011

Rasmussen Employment Index Moves to Highest Level Since June

The Rasmussen Employment Index, which measures workers’ perceptions of the labor market each month, gained five points in November to reach 76.8. Generally speaking, an increase in the Rasmussen Employment Index suggests the upcoming government reports on job creation will be better than the prior month.

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November 1, 2011

October Employment Index Shows Less Confidence Among Workers

The Rasmussen Employment Index, which measures workers’ perceptions of the labor market each month, slipped two points in October to 71.7.

The Employment Index is still up two points from August’ recent low of 69.3, but worker confidence is down five points from the beginning of 2011 and six points from last October. Generally speaking, a decrease in the Rasmussen Employment Index suggests the upcoming government reports on job creation will be worse than prior months.

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The survey of 8,501 working Americans was conducted in October 2011 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 1 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC . See methodology .

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October 3, 2011

Rasmussen Employment Index Inches Up Slightly In September

The Rasmussen Employment Index, which measures workers’ perceptions of the labor market each month, regained some lost ground in September following August’s 2011 low.

At 73.4, the Employment Index is up four points from August but is still down four points from the beginning of 2011 and down 10 points since last November when hiring expectations peaked.  Generally speaking, an increase in the Rasmussen Employment Index suggests the upcoming government reports on job creation will be better than prior months.

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August 30, 2011

Rasmussen Employment Index Falls To 2011 Low

The Rasmussen Employment Index, which measures workers’ perceptions of the labor market each month, slipped a point in August to the lowest level measured in one year.

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August 16, 2011

Perfect Economic Storm Leads to Record-low Sentiments

Americans' ongoing uneasiness about their finances is putting some cracks in how they feel about their retirement nest eggs. The COUNTRY Financial Security Index® dropped one point to 63.7 in June, in part because confidence in retirement reached an all-time low.

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August 2, 2011

Rasmussen Employment Index Down Sharply: Just 18% Report Their Firms Are Hiring

The Rasmussen Employment Index, which measures workers’ perceptions of the labor market each month, fell nearly eight points in July to the lowest level since March.

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July 5, 2011

Rasmussen Employment Index Makes Modest Gain In June

The Rasmussen Employment Index, which measures workers’ perceptions of the labor market each month, inched up less than point in June.

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May 31, 2011

Employment Index Makes Small Gain in May

The Rasmussen Employment Index, which measures workers’ perceptions of the labor market each month, gained another two points in May after a five-point recovery last month from March’s recent low.