Employers expand workforces even as growth slows, surprising economists
Follow our Australia news live blog for the latest updatesGet our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast
Australia’s economy added 76,000 jobs last month as employers defied signs of slowing demand to expand the national workforce beyond 14 million for the first time.
The jobless rate in May was 3.6%, down from 3.7% in April, the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported on Thursday. Economists had expected the economy would add 17,500 positions last month, leaving the unemployment rate steady at 3.7%.
Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup
More Stories
‘Turning point’: claw print fossils found in Australia rewrite story of amniotes by 40 million years
Australia news live: Anthony Albanese arrives in Indonesia; Longman and Flinders go to Liberals
Canadian PM criticises UK invitation to Trump for second state visit