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- A business cycle is a swing in total national output, income and employment marked by widespread expansion or contraction in many sectors of the economy. Typically, a business cycle is divided into four phases: (i) the recovery or revival of economic activity (ii) the prosperity or expansion of the activity (iii) the recession or downturn in economic activity, and (iv) the depression or contraction in the economic activity.
- A number of theories are proposed to explain the cyclical behavior of business cycles, which includes supply shock theory, multiplier-acceleration and Keynes. But, no theory answered all problems.
- The rate of unemployment is one of the key indicators of the conditions prevailing in an economy. Fluctuations in the rate of employment lead to partial changes in the economy and therefore considered as a barometer which points out the condition of an economy. The rate of unemployment gradually decreases during recovery and rapidly decreases during boom or prosperity. By contrast, unemployment rate rises sharply during depression and gradually moves upward during recession. Unemployment rate and phases of business cycles are closely knitted.