The World Uncertainty Index (WUI) measures economic and policy uncertainty across countries using text-based indicators from EIU country reports. It counts the frequency of the word "uncertain" (and its variants) relative to the total number of words in each report, scaled by a factor to produce a comparable index. Higher readings coincide with elevated macro uncertainty — events like financial crises, pandemics, wars, or major policy shifts — which can weigh on investment, risk appetite, and growth expectations. The sharp spike near 2020 reflects COVID-19. Use the Region selector to compare global aggregates. Data is quarterly and sourced from FRED (Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis).