Australia Job Advertisements

Australia's job advertisements in newspapers and on the internet declined by 1.7 percent month-over-month in November 2019, compared to market consensus of a 2.2 percent fall and after a 1 percent drop in the previous month. This marked the third straight fall in the past four months. On an annual basis, job advertisements fell by 12.6 percent. Annual growth has been in negative territory since the start of 2019.

Australia's job advertisements in newspapers and on the internet declined by 1 percent month-over-month in October 2019, after a 0.3 percent gain the previous month. "The Ads series has been pointing to a material slowdown in employment growth for some time; yet employment growth has been remarkably resilient," said ANZ's senior economist Catherine Birch, adding employment in the construction industry should continue to fall as residential building activity contracts through to mid-2020. On an annual basis, job advertisements fell by 11.4 percent. Annual growth has been in negative territory since the start of 2019.

Australia's job advertisements in newspapers and on the internet increased by 0.3 percent month-over-month in September 2019, rebounding from a downwardly revised 2.6 percent fall the previous month but missing market consensus of a 2.8 percent gain. However, ANZ's head of Australian economics David Plank said modest gain in September does not necessarily indicate a turning point in the labor market. "We may see job ads deteriorate again in future months if the public sector strength is not sustained and if there is no significant change in momentum in private sector employment," Plank said. On an annual basis, job advertisements fell by 10.4 percent in September. Annual growth has been in negative territory since the start of 2019.

Australia's job advertisements in newspapers and on the internet declined by 2.8 percent month-over-month in August 2019, the first monthly drop in three months. The latest data suggests the labor market is softening and provides further evidence that the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) will need to cut the cash rate again, the ANZ's head of Australian economics David Plank said. On an annual basis, job advertisements fell by 11.4 percent in August. Annual growth has been in negative territory since the start of 2019.

Australia's job advertisements in newspapers and on the internet increased by 0.8 percent month-over-month in July 2019, following an upwardly revised 4.9 percent surge in the previous month. “ANZ Job Ads gained for a second straight month, which is encouraging for a series that we think is an important barometer of the health of the Australian labor market," ANZ’s Head of Australian Economics, David Plank, commented. "But the data are still being impacted by the late April ‘holiday effect’, with Easter and ANZAC Day being in close proximity, and then the May election. We will need another month or two of gains before we conclude the trend has definitely turned.Even if job ads are starting to move higher, there is still some way to go before they would be suggesting a turn in the recent slowing of jobs growth and rise in unemployment" On an annual basis, job advertisements declined by 9.1 percent in July. Annual growth has been in negative territory since the start of this year.

Australia's job advertisements in newspapers and on the internet surged 4.6 percent month-over-month in June 2019, recovering from a downwardly revised 8.2 percent slump in the previous month. "The gain was one of the biggest in 18 months. We don't think it necessarily represents a turn in the overall downward trend," said David Plank, ANZ's head of Australian economics. The June increase in job vacancies represents only a partial recovery from the weakness seen in May, he added. "This points to slowing employment growth and rising unemployment. If confirmed by the actual employment data, then the RBA will likely react by lowering the cash rate yet again." On an annual basis, job advertisements declined by 9.1 percent in June.