Labs · Economy

The Icelandic economy in numbers

Key indicators and our analysis of them. The figures come from official data through Iceland Economic Signals and are updated when new data are published.

Indicators

As of 7 October 2026

GDP growth, last 4 quarters

+1.8%

against the year before · Q2 2026

Unemployment, survey

6.8%

seasonally adjusted · August 2026

Registered unemployment

3.9%

Directorate of Labour · August 2026

Job vacancies

1.4%

share of jobs · Q2 2026

Household card spending

−2.6%

real change, year on year · August 2026

Policy rate

8.0%

Central Bank of Iceland · October 2026

Recession warning

2.2 · unemployment above its low over the previous year; trigger 2.0

Analysis

7 October 2026

Is Iceland in a recession?

Early-year growth was mostly lower imports, the job market tells two stories and households are holding back.

Read the analysis →