The Labour Cost Index (LCI) measures the annual change in the cost of labor to businesses, including wages and non-wage benefits. It is a key indicator of wage inflation and reflects the underlying pressure on consumer prices from the production side. Central banks monitor this index closely to determine if rising labor costs are likely to lead to broader inflationary trends.
Calculated by surveying a representative sample of businesses to track changes in the price of a fixed quantity of labor. It adjusts for changes in the quality and quantity of work to isolate pure price movements.
| Date | Actual | Forecast | Surprise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 16, 2026 | 3.00 | 3.00 | 0.00 |
| Aug 20, 2026 | 3.00 | 3.00 | 0.00 |
| Jun 16, 2026 | 3.20 | 3.30 | -0.10 |
| May 21, 2026 | 3.30 | 3.00 | +0.30 |
| Mar 19, 2026 | 3.30 | 3.00 | +0.30 |
| Dec 17, 2025 | 3.30 | 3.50 | -0.20 |
| Nov 19, 2025 | 3.50 | 3.20 | +0.30 |
| Sep 16, 2025 | 3.60 | 3.70 | -0.10 |
| Aug 20, 2025 | 3.70 | 3.00 | +0.70 |
| Jun 16, 2025 | 3.40 | 3.20 | +0.20 |
| May 20, 2025 | 3.20 | — | — |
| Mar 19, 2025 | 3.70 | 4.20 | -0.50 |
| Dec 16, 2024 | 4.60 | 4.60 | 0.00 |
| Nov 19, 2024 | 4.60 | 4.00 | +0.60 |
| Sep 16, 2024 | 4.70 | 4.30 | +0.40 |
| Jun 17, 2024 | 5.10 | 4.90 | +0.20 |
| May 21, 2024 | 4.90 | 2.90 | +2.00 |
| Mar 19, 2024 | 3.40 | 4.60 | -1.20 |
| Dec 15, 2023 | 5.30 | 4.40 | +0.90 |
| Sep 15, 2023 | 4.50 | 4.30 | +0.20 |
| Jun 16, 2023 | 5.00 | 3.30 | +1.70 |
| Mar 17, 2023 | 5.70 | 3.50 | +2.20 |
| Dec 19, 2022 | 2.90 | 3.10 | -0.20 |
| Sep 15, 2022 | 4.00 | 4.80 | -0.80 |
| Jun 16, 2022 | 3.20 | 2.70 | +0.50 |
| Mar 18, 2022 | 1.90 | 3.00 | -1.10 |
| Dec 16, 2021 | 2.50 | 1.20 | +1.30 |
| Sep 15, 2021 | -0.10 | 3.80 | -3.90 |
| Date | First print | Current | Revision |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 21, 2026 | 3.30 | 3.30 | 0 ↓ |
