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Australia Jobless Rate Highest in 19 Years
Australia's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate jumped to 7.1% in May 2020 from an upwardly revised 6.4% in April and compared with market consensus of 7%. It was the highest jobless rate since October 2001, amid business closures and lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of unemployed soared by 85,700 to an over 26-year high of 927,600. People looking for full-time rose by 60,400 to 695,900 and those looking for only part-time work went up 25,200 to 231,700. Employment fell by 227,700 to 12,154,100, compared with estimates of a 125,000 fall, as full-time employment dropped by 89,100 to 8,540,000, while part-time employment was down by 138,600 to 3,614,100. The participation rate fell to 62.9%, the lowest since January 2001. The underemployment rate was down 0.7 points to 13.1%, and the underutilization rate was up less than 0.1 points to an all-time high of 20.2%. Monthly hours worked in all jobs fell by 12.1 million hours, or 12.1% to 1,604.7 million hours.
Published on 2020-06-18

Australia Jobless Rate Highest Since 2015
Australia's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate jumped to 6.2% in April 2020 from 5.2% in March, but below market expectations of 8.3%. It was the highest jobless rate since September 2015, amid business closures and lockdowns due to the coronavirus pandemic. The number of unemployed surged by 104,500 to 823,300. People looking for full-time rose by 115,000 to 622,300, while those looking for only part-time work fell by 10,600 to 200,900. Employment tumbled by 594,300, the largest drop on record, to 12,418,700, compared with estimates of a 575,000 fall, as full-time employment dropped by 220,500 to 8,656,900, and part-time employment declined by 373,800 to 3,761,800. The participation rate fell to an over 15-year low of 63.5%. The underemployment rate rose 4.9 points to a record of 13.7%, and the underutilization rate increased 5.9 points to an all-time high of 19.9%. Monthly hours worked in all jobs fell 163.9 million hours, or 8% to 1,625.8 million hours.
Published on 2020-05-14

Australia Jobless Rate Below Estimates
Australia's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate edged up to 5.2% in March 2020 from 5.1% in February and below market expectations of 5.5%. The ABS warned that figures did not capture the full impact of the coronavirus as the reference weeks covered the first half of March, before lockdown measures. The number of unemployed people rose by 20,300 to 718,600. People looking for full-time increased by 31,400 to 505,500, while those looking for only part-time work dropped 11,100 to 213,100. Employment rose by 5,900 to 13,017,600 and easily beating estimates of a 40,000 fall, as part-time employment went up by 6,400 to 4,135,400, while full-time employment declined by 400 to 8,882,200. Meantime, the participation rate was unchanged at 66%, above forecasts of 65.9%. The underemployment rate was up 0.1 points to 8.7%, and the underutilization rate ticked up 0.1 points to 13.9%. Monthly hours worked in all jobs increased by 8.6 million hours, or 0.5% to 1,784.9 million hours.
Published on 2020-04-16

Australia Jobless Rate Unexpectedly Falls in February
Australia's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 5.1 percent in February 2020 from 5.3 percent in the previous month and below market expectations of 5.3 percent. The number of unemployed people dropped by 26,400, while employment rose by 26,700. People looking for full-time declined by 34,000 to 468,300 and those looking for only part-time work increased 7,900 to 220,400. Employment rose by 26,700 to 13,015,100 and easily beating estimates of a 10,000 gain, as full-time employment grew by 13,300 to 8,885,600, and part-time employment went up by 7,800 to 4,124,500. Meantime, the participation rate edged down 0.1 points to 66 percent, below forecasts of 66.1 percent. The underemployment rate was steady at 8.6 percent, and the underutilisation rate fell 0.2 points to 13.7 percent. Monthly hours worked in all jobs dropped by 3 million hours, or 0.2 percent to 1,775.4 million hours.
Published on 2020-03-19

Australia Jobless Rate Above Forecasts
Australia's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to 5.3% in January 2020 from 5.1% in the previous month, above market expectations of 5.2%. It was the highest jobless rate since October last year, as the number of unemployed people increased by 31,000 to 725,900. People looking for full-time work went up by 19,600 to 508,500 and those looking for only part-time work increased 11,400 to 217,400. Employment rose by 13,500 to 12,995,400 and above estimates of a 10,000 gain. Full-time employment grew 46,200 to 8,882,200, while part-time employment dropped 32,700 to 4,113,300. Meantime, the participation rate edged up 0.1 points to 66.1%, the highest in four months and slightly above forecasts of 66%. The underemployment rate rose to 8.6% in January from 8.3% in December, while the underutilisation rate went up 0.5 points to 13.9%. Monthly hours worked in all jobs fell by 8.1 million hours, or 0.4% to 1,781.8 million hours.
Published on 2020-02-20

Australia Jobless Rate Unexpectedly Falls to 9-Month Low
Australia's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 5.1 percent in December 2019 from 5.2 percent in the previous month and below market expectations of 5.2 percent. It is the lowest jobless rate since March, as the number of unemployed people fell by 12,900 to 693,100 while employment rose by 28,900 to 12,981,600. Part-time employment increased by 29,200 to 4,146,900 people while full-time employment dropped by 300 to 8,834,700. Meantime, the participation rate was unchanged at 66.0 percent, remaining at its lowest level since June and matching forecasts. The underemployment rate was at 8.3 percent in December, the same as in the prior month while the underutilisation rate dropped 0.1 points to 13.4 percent. Monthly hours worked in all jobs went up by 8.2 million hours, or 0.5 percent to 1,791.1 million hours.
Published on 2020-01-23

Australia Jobless Rate Unexpectedly Falls
Australia's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate edged down to 5.2 percent in November 2019 from 5.3 percent in the previous month, and slightly below market forecasts of 5.3 percent. The number of unemployed fell by 16,800 while employment rose by 39,900.
Published on 2019-12-19

Australia Jobless Rate Inches Higher to 5.3% in October
Australia's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to 5.3 percent in October 2019 from 5.2 percent in the previous month and matching market expectations. The number of unemployed increased by 17,100 while employment unexpected fell for the first time in 17 months (-19,000).
Published on 2019-11-14

Australia Jobless Rate Below Estimates in September
Australia's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate unexpectedly edged down to 5.2 percent in September 2019 from a year-high of 5.3 percent in the previous month and below market expectations of 5.3 percent. The jobless rate fell for the first time in seven months, as the number of unemployed decreased by 8,100 while employment rose by 14,700.
Published on 2019-10-17

Australia Jobless Rate Highest in a Year
Australia's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate edged up to 5.3 percent in August 2019 from 5.2 percent in the previous month and in line with market expectations. It was the highest jobless rate since August last year, as the number of unemployed increased by 4,100 and employment rose by 34,700.
Published on 2019-09-19

Australia Jobless Rate Holds Steady at 5.2%
Australia's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stood at 5.2 percent in July 2019, unchanged from the previous month and in line market expectations. The economy added 41,100 jobs while the number of unemployed rose by 800.
Published on 2019-08-15

Australia Jobless Rate Steady at Highest Since August 2018
Australia's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was unchanged at 5.2 percent in June 2019, remaining at its highest level since August last year and matching market expectations. The economy added only 500 jobs while the number of unemployed increased by 6,600.
Published on 2019-07-18

Australia Jobless Rate Holds at 8-Month High in May
Australia's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stood at 5.2 percent in May 2019, unchanged from the previous month's eighth month-high and above market expectations of 5.1 percent. The economy added 42,300 jobs while the number of unemployed fell by 2,400.
Published on 2019-06-13

Australia Jobless Rate Rises to 8-Month High of 5.2%
Australia's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate edged up to 5.2 percent in April 2019 from an upwardly revised 5.1 percent in the previous month and slightly above market expectations of 5.1 percent. It was the highest jobless rate since August last year, as the economy added 28,400 jobs while the number of unemployed increased by 21,200.
Published on 2019-05-16

Australia Jobless Rate Rises to 5% in March
Australia's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate edged up to 5.0 percent in March 2019 from a near eight-year low of 4.9 percent in the previous month and matching market expectations. The economy added 25,700 jobs while the number of unemployed increased by 17,100.
Published on 2019-04-18

Australia Jobless Rate Lowest since 2011
Australia's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate inched lower to 4.9 percent in February 2019 from 5.0 percent in the previous month and below market expectations of 5.0 percent. It was the lowest jobless rate since June 2011. The economy added 4,600 jobs while the number of unemployed declined by 11,700.
Published on 2019-03-21

Australia Jobless Rate Unchanged at 5%, Matches Estimates
Australia's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stood at 5 percent in January 2019, the same as in the prior month and in line with market expectations. The economy added 39,100 jobs while the number of unemployed went up by 6,600.
Published on 2019-02-21

Australia Jobless Rate Unexpectedly Falls in December
Australia's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate inched lower to 5.0 percent in December 2018, matching the 6-1/2 year-low touched in September and October and below market expectations 5.1 percent. The economy added 21,600 jobs while the number of unemployed decreased 14,100. The participation rate fell 0.1 points from a month earlier to 65.6 percent, slightly below forecasts of 65.7 percent. Meantime, the employment to population ratio went up 0.1 percentage points to 62.4 percent.
Published on 2019-01-24

Australia Jobless Rate Edges Up to 5.1% in November
Australia's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate inched higher to 5.1 percent in November of 2018 from a 6-1/2-year low of 5 percent in the previous two months and slightly above market consensus of 5 percent. The economy added 37,000 jobs while the number of unemployed increased 12,500.
Published on 2018-12-20

Australia Jobless Rate Unchanged at 6-1/2-Year Low of 5%
Australia's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stood at 5 percent in October 2018, the same as in the prior month but slightly below market estimates of 5.1 percent. The jobless rate remained at its lowest level since April 2012.
Published on 2018-11-15