Total employment in Australia increased unexpectedly in May, the latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed Thursday.
The number of employed persons rose 1,100 from a month earlier to 11.66 million in May. Economists expected a decline of 10,000. Full-time employment, however, decreased by 5,300.
The unemployment rate fell to 5.5 percent in May from 5.6 percent in April. Unemployment decreased by 3,600 or 0.5 percent month-on-month to to 682,900.
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June 05, 2026 16:18 ET A busy week for economic news flow saw a slew of reports being released that reflected the trends in the U.S. labor market. In Europe, economic growth and inflation data gained attention as the European Central Bank and Bank of England head for policy session later in the month. In Asia, the monetary policy session of the Indian central bank was in focus as the country, a major oil importer, reels under the pressures of a weaker rupee and rising inflation.