Unemployment Rate (PNAD Continua) in Brazil

This is Brazil's unemployment rate for people aged 14 and over, calculated over a rolling quarter (the three months ending in the reference month) from IBGE's continuous household survey, the PNAD Contínua.

The share of unemployed people in the labour force (employed plus unemployed) over the reference rolling quarter, based on IBGE's household survey.

It is a key indicator of the Brazilian labour market and of the strength of domestic consumption. A lower-than-expected rate is usually read as favourable for the real and for demand, though a very tight market also reinforces the wage pressures watched by the Central Bank of Brazil.

Because it is based on a rolling quarter, each reading overlaps two of its three months with the previous release, so the month-to-month change is smooth and should be read with caution. Survey data are subject to revisions.