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Indicator Digest

Unemployment Rate and Employment Change
Unemployment Rate measures the percentage of people that do not have jobs of all the people in the job force. Those people that are discouraged and "are not actively seeking work" are no longer counted. The participation rate tell you what percentage of the work-age population currently has a job.

Main Indicator: Unemployment Rate

Most Recent Release

March
10th, 2010
Actual Forecast Previous Revised Form
5.3% 5.3% 5.2% 5.3%

Table of Past Data

5/66/107/89/910/711/1112/91/132/103/10
Actual5.4%5.7%5.8%5.8%5.7%5.8%5.7%5.5%5.3%5.3%
Forecast5.9%5.7%5.9%5.9%6.0%5.8%5.9%5.8%5.6%5.3%
Previous5.7%5.4%5.7%5.8%5.8%5.7%5.8%5.6%5.5%5.2%
Revised FromN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A5.7%N/A5.3%

Secondary Indicator: Employment Change

Most Recent Release

March
10th, 2010
Actual Forecast Previous Revised Form
0.4K 15.3K 56.5K 52.7K

For February - Seasonally Adjusted
Provided by: Australian Bureau of Statistics
Most Current Release: HTML

Unemp. Rate (s.a.): 5.3%, pr. 5.3% (Jan), 5.5% (Dec), 5.7% (Nov),
5.8% (Oct), 5.7% (Sep), 5.8% (Aug), 5.8% (Jul), 5.8% (Jun),
5.7% (May), 5.4% (Apr), 5.7% (Mar), 5.2% (Feb), 4.8% (Jan)

Table of Past Data

6/107/88/59/910/711/1112/91/132/103/10
Actual-1.7K-21.4K32.2K-27.1K40.6K24.5K31.2K35.2K52.7K0.4K
Forecast-30.0K-20.0K-17.8K-14.7K-9.7K-10.0K5.3K10.2K15.1K15.3K
Previous25.4K-8.5K-23.1K33.6K-26.1K39.8K27.2K31.4K37.5K56.5K
Revised From27.3K-1.7K-21.4K32.2K-21.1K40.6K24.5K31.2K35.2K52.7K

Past Releases

Unemployment Rate
February
10th, 2010
Actual Forecast Previous Revised Form
5.3% 5.6% 5.5% N/A
Employment Change
February
10th, 2010
Actual Forecast Previous Revised Form
52.7K 15.1K 37.5K 35.2K

For January - Seasonally Adjusted
Provided by: Australian Bureau of Statistics
Most Current Release: HTML

Unemp. Rate (s.a.): 5.3%, pr. 5.5% (Dec), 5.7% (Nov),
5.8% (Oct), 5.7% (Sep), 5.8% (Aug), 5.8% (Jul), 5.8% (Jun),
5.7% (May), 5.4% (Apr), 5.7% (Mar), 5.2% (Feb), 4.8% (Jan)

Unemployment Rate
January
13th, 2010
Actual Forecast Previous Revised Form
5.5% 5.8% 5.6% 5.7%
Employment Change
January
13th, 2010
Actual Forecast Previous Revised Form
35.2K 10.2K 31.4K 31.2K

For December - Seasonally Adjusted
Provided by: Australian Bureau of Statistics
Current Release: HTML

Unemp. Rate (s.a.): 5.5%, pr. 5.7% (Nov), 5.8% (Oct), 5.7% (Sep),
5.8% (Aug), 5.8% (Jul), 5.8% (Jun), 5.7% (May), 5.4% (Apr),
5.7% (Mar), 5.2% (Feb), 4.8% (Jan), 4.5% (Dec), 4.4% (Nov)

Unemployment Rate
December
9th, 2009
Actual Forecast Previous Revised Form
5.7% 5.9% 5.8% N/A
Employment Change
December
9th, 2009
Actual Forecast Previous Revised Form
31.2K 5.3K 27.2K 24.5K

For November - Seasonally Adjusted
Provided by: Australian Bureau of Statistics
Current Release: HTML

Unemp. Rate (s.a.): 5.7%, pr. 5.8% (Oct), 5.7% (Sep), 5.8% (Aug),
5.8% (Jul), 5.8% (Jun), 5.7% (May), 5.4% (Apr), 5.7% (Mar),
5.2% (Feb), 4.8% (Jan), 4.5% (Dec), 4.4% (Nov), 4.3% (Oct)

Australian employment rose for a third straight month as companies added six times more jobs than economists estimated. The number of people employed gained 31,200 in November which knocked the unemployment rate down to 5.7%. Most of the gains, 30,800, was in full-time employment, while part time work was up by 300. In the past three months companies have hired close to 100K people with miners leading the way.

An improving labor market may give RBA Governor Glenn Stevens more scope to continue raising interest rates next year. The bank has hiked rates three months in a row, the most recent on December 1st. It seems that the unemployment rate may be topping out and with the Governor saying the economy is better than previously forecast the pace of interest rate increases will continue. The Australian Dollar rose in response to the news and the implications it has on interest rates. 

Unemployment Rate
November
11th, 2009
Actual Forecast Previous Revised Form
5.8% 5.8% 5.7% N/A
Employment Change
November
11th, 2009
Actual Forecast Previous Revised Form
24.5K -10.0K 39.8K 40.6K

For October - Seasonally Adjusted
Provided by: Australian Bureau of Statistics
Current Release: HTML

Unemp. Rate (s.a.): 5.8%, pr. 5.7% (Sept), 5.8% (Aug), 5.8% (Jul),
5.8% (Jun), 5.7% (May), 5.4% (Apr), 5.7% (Mar), 5.2% (Feb),
4.8% (Jan), 4.5% (Dec), 4.4% (Nov), 4.3% (Oct), 4.3% (Sep),

The number of jobs in Australia rose by 24.5K, the second straight month of gains, a figure that surprised forecasts on the upside. Economists had called for a drop of 10K jobs. The increase in jobs was primarily driven by part-time work which added 21.5K jobs while full-time work was up only 2.9K. The unemployment rate meanwhile creeped up to 5.8% reclaiming its level from most of the summer. 

The news was received favorably by Australian Dollar bulls as the AUD/USD rallied 70 pips to the 0.9368 area following its release. However, with greenback strength dominating the overnight session, the Aussie gave up those gains.

11/12/09 - Aussie Up on Employment Data 

Unemployment Rate
October
7th, 2009
Actual Forecast Previous Revised Form
5.7% 6.0% 5.8% N/A
Employment Change
October
7th, 2009
Actual Forecast Previous Revised Form
40.6K -9.7K -26.1K -21.1K

For September - Seasonally Adjusted
Provided by: Australian Bureau of Statistics
Current Release: HTML

Unemp. Rate (s.a.): 5.7%, pr. 5.8% (Aug), 5.8% (Jul), 5.8% (Jun),
5.7% (May), 5.4% (Apr), 5.7% (Mar), 5.2% (Feb), 4.8% (Jan),
4.5% (Dec), 4.4% (Nov), 4.3% (Oct), 4.3% (Sep), 4.1% (Aug)

The Australian economy added 40.6K jobs in September, figures that beat expectations of another month of declining jobs while the unemployment rate inched down to 5.7%. That was the first decline in the unemployment rate in 5 months. Looking deeper into the figures it showed that most of the job gains were from an increase in permanent work (35.4K) compared to part-time jobs (5.2K). The data may signal that the job losses in the economy have peaked and signals that the central bank may follow up its interest rate increase this week with another one next month. The news helped to bolster the Australian Dollar as well as stocks in the region. 

Unemployment Rate
September
9th, 2009
Actual Forecast Previous Revised Form
5.8% 5.9% 5.8% N/A
Employment Change
September
9th, 2009
Actual Forecast Previous Revised Form
-27.1K -14.7K 33.6K 32.2K

For August - Seasonally Adjusted
Provided by: Australian Bureau of Statistics
Previous Release: HTML

Unemp. Rate (s.a.): 5.8%, pr. (Jul) 5.8%, 5.8% (Jun), 5.7% (May),
5.4% (Apr), 5.7% (Mar), 5.2% (Feb), 4.8% (Jan), 4.5% (Dec),
4.4% (Nov), 4.3% (Oct), 4.3% (Sep), 4.1% (Aug), 4.3% (Jul)

Employment Change
August
5th, 2009
Actual Forecast Previous Revised Form
32.2K -17.8K -23.1K -21.4K

For July - Seasonally Adjusted
Provided by: Australian Bureau of Statistics
Previous Release: HTML

Unemp. Rate (s.a.): 5.8%, forecast 6.0%, pr. 5.8% (Jun), 5.7% (May),
5.4% (Apr), 5.7% (Mar), 5.2% (Feb), 4.8% (Jan), 4.5% (Dec),
4.4% (Nov), 4.3% (Oct), 4.3% (Sep), 4.1% (Aug), 4.3% (Jul)

Unemployment Rate
July
8th, 2009
Actual Forecast Previous Revised Form
5.8% 5.9% 5.7% N/A
Employment Change
July
8th, 2009
Actual Forecast Previous Revised Form
-21.4K -20.0K -8.5K -1.7K

For June - Seasonally Adjusted
Provided by: Australian Bureau of Statistics
Current Release: HTML

Unemp. Rate (s.a.): 5.8%, forecast 5.9%, pr. 5.7% (May), 5.4% (Apr),
5.7% (Mar), 5.2% (Feb), 4.8% (Jan), 4.5% (Dec), 4.4% (Nov),
4.3% (Oct), 4.3% (Sep), 4.1% (Aug), 4.3% (Jul)

The Australian economy shed 21.4K jobs in June, a figure that closely matched expectations. May's job losses were revised to show a bigger 8.5K decrease. The unemployment rate inched up to 5.8% though that was better than the 5.9% forecast. The deterioration in the job market means the central bank will maintain rates at a supportive level. Data this week showed consumer confidence rose in June and home loans advanced as well. The Australian economy has skirted a recession, but will be weak as long as the global economy and global trade remain pressured. 

The Aussie was down sharply on Wednesday, as risk aversion and an unwinding of carry trade hurt higher yielders. The AUD/USD found support at 0.7725 level, and was staging a small counter-rally prior to and in the hour following the release. As of 11:30 PM ET the Aussie had retraced its fall from Wednesday by 50%.

Unemployment Rate
June
10th, 2009
Actual Forecast Previous Revised Form
5.7% 5.7% 5.4% N/A
Employment Change
June
10th, 2009
Actual Forecast Previous Revised Form
-1.7K -30.0K 25.4K 27.3K

For May - Seasonally Adjusted
Provided by: Australian Bureau of Statistics
Current Release: HTML

Unemp. Rate (s.a.): 5.7%, forecast 5.7%, pr. 5.4% (Apr), 5.7% (Mar),
5.2% (Feb), 4.8% (Jan), 4.5% (Dec), 4.4% (Nov), 4.3% (Oct),
4.3% (Sep), 4.1% (Aug), 4.3% (Jul)

The Australia economy had another better than expected release, this time coming from the labor market. May saw the economy shed 1.7K jobs when expectations called for a 30K decline. Companies laying off fewer workers is a good sign, and implies that the economy may recover faster than other developed nations. The unemployment rate creeped up to 5.7%, but compared to some other nations like the US and Euro-zone which have unemployment levels of 9.4% and 9.2% respectively, it's more manageable. 

The Australian Dollar rose in today's trading as better than expected growth figures for the first quarter, a 7th straight month of increasing home loans, a jump in consumer sentiment, and now better readings from the labor market may prompt central bank Governor Glenn Stevens to raise interest rates from their 49-year low. 

Unemployment Rate
May
6th, 2009
Actual Forecast Previous Revised Form
5.4% 5.9% 5.7% N/A