Misery Index, 2020M12 and 2024M08: 8.0% vs. 6.8%

With latest available data:

Figure 1: Misery Index, calculated as simple sum of unemployment rate and 12 month CPI inflation rate. NBER defined peak-to-trough recession dates shaded gray. Source: BLS via FRED, NBER, and author’s calculations.

Note that Misery was 9.7% in 2020M08, exactly 4 previous to August 2024 reading.

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