Employment

Employment surged a seasonally adjusted 64.6k in February, more than the 49.1k expected by the markets. The unemployment rate declined 0.2ppts to 3.5% (mkt exp: 3.6%), to be back at the December 2022 level.

Employment declined a seasonally adjusted 11.5k in January, against the market expectations of a 20.0k gain. This followed a 20.0k drop in December (revised from -14.6k).

Employment fell a seasonally adjusted 14.6k in December, against the market expectations of a 25.0k gain. The unemployment rate was unchanged from the upwardly revised 3.5% for November.

Employment rose a seasonally adjusted 64.0k in November, much more than the 17.0k expected by market participants. The unemployment rate remained at an equal monthly series low of 3.4% in seasonally adjusted terms. The underutilisation rate, which combines unemployment and underemployment, fell to a 40-year low of 9.2%.

Employment rose a seasonally adjusted 32.2k in October, much more than the 15.0k pencilled in by the market consensus. The unemployment rate unexpectedly declined 0.1ppts to 3.4%.

Employment rose a seasonally adjusted 0.9k in September, much less than the 25.0k expected by the markets. The slight increase in employment resulted from a 13.3k gain in full-time jobs almost fully offset by a 12.4k decline in part-time jobs. The unemployment rate was unchanged at 3.5%, in line with market expectations.

Employment rose a seasonally adjusted 33.5k in August, pretty much in line with the 35.0k envisaged by the market consensus. The unemployment rate rose 0.1ppts to the still low 3.5%, as the participation rate rose to 66.6%.

Employment fell a seasonally adjusted 40.9k in July, against market expectations of a 26.5k increase. The unemployment rate dipped 0.1ppts to 3.4%, the lowest level since Q3 1974 when the labour force survey was quarterly. This came amid a 0.3ppts fall in the participation rate, to a still high 66.4%.