Chart of the Day: Unemployment

Today, the Labor Department reported that the unemployment rate increased to 10.2% -- a 26-year high. For some perspective on the current state of the labor market, today's chart illustrates the unemployment rate since 1948. As the chart illustrates, today's move above the 10% threshold marks only the second time such a move has occurred during the post-World War II era. It is also worth noting that the unemployment rate has tended to peak shortly after the end of the recession. Following the previous two recessions, however, the unemployment rate kept rising for many months following the beginning of an economic "expansion."