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Employment

Employment
US job growth slows as workforce shrinks
United States job growth slowed significantly in June as employers added fewer workers than expected and payroll figures for the previous two months were revised lower, signalling a cooling labour market and reducing expectations that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates in the near term. According to the Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics, nonfarm payrolls increased by 57,000 jobs in June, well below economists' forecasts of 110,000 new positions. The unemployment rate edged down to 4.2% from 4.3% in May. However, the improvement reflected a sharp decline in labour force participation rather than stronger hiring, with around 720,000 people leaving the workforce during the month. The participation rate fell to 61.5%, its lowest level since March 2021 and the weakest reading in more than five years. The report, released a day earlier than usual ahead of the United States' Independence Day holiday, also included downward revisions showing the economy created 74,000 fewer jobs across April and May than previously estimated. The weaker-than-expected employment figures prompted investors to further reduce expectations of additional monetary tightening by the Federal Reserve. Financial markets conti
Employment
US private hiring slows ahead of jobs report
United States private-sector hiring slowed in June as employers added fewer jobs than expected, reinforcing signs of a moderating labour market ahead of the release of the closely watched government employment report. According to ADP, private payrolls increased by a seasonally adjusted 98,000 positions during the month, down from an unrevised 122,000 in May and below market expectations for a gain of 113,000. The report serves as a precursor to Thursday's nonfarm payrolls release from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with Wall Street expecting the U.S. economy to have added 110,000 jobs in June. Markets are also expecting the unemployment rate to remain unchanged at 4.3%, while average hourly earnings are expected to increase 0.3% for the month and 3.5% from a year earlier. Healthcare-related industries continued to drive employment growth, with the education and health services sector accounting for 48,000 of the new jobs created during June. Almost all hiring occurred within the services sector, which added all but 2,000 of the month's new positions. Other industries recording gains included trade, transportation and utilities, which added 15,000 jobs, followed by financial activities with 14,000 and other serv
Employment
US job openings touch 2yr high in May
United States job openings climbed to a two-year high in May, signalling resilient labour demand, although slower hiring and worsening consumer perceptions of employment suggested the labour market continues to lack momentum. The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics said job openings increased by 9,000 to 7.594 million on the final day of May, the highest level since May 2024. The figure exceeded market expectations of 7.30 million vacancies. However, some economists urged caution when interpreting the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS), noting the survey's response rate remained unusually low. Tuesday's data presented a mixed picture of the labour market, with economists saying employment conditions appeared stable despite subdued hiring activity. They also said there was little evidence that the recent conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran had materially affected the labour market, with downside risks seen as easing following the fragile ceasefire. ANZ analysts said in a note to clients: "While the labour market has stabilised, it is lacking dynamism. The hiring rate, quits rate and layoffs rate are low relative to history, consistent with a ‘low hire, low fire’ l
Employment
Aus unemployment eases to 4.4% in May
The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in Australia fell to 4.4% in May, according to the latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), easing slightly from 4.5% recorded in the previous month. ABS head of labour statistics Sean Crick said the increase in employment reflected a backlog of jobseekers entering the workforce. “Over the past few months, we have recorded higher proportions of unemployed people waiting to start jobs who then remained unemployed in the following month. “The backlog of people waiting to start a job has eased in May, contributing to the 40,000 rise in employment and 18,000 fall in unemployed persons.”Credit: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)Employment rose by 40,300 people to 14,738,800 in seasonally adjusted terms. Full-time employment increased by 5,200 to 10,140,800, while part-time employment rose by 35,200 to 4,598,000. The number of unemployed people fell by 18,300 to 671,300, with the unemployment rate declining by 0.1 percentage point to 4.4%. The rate remained steady at 4.6% for males, while it fell by 0.2 percentage points to 4.1% for females. The youth unemployment rate decreased by 0.6 percentage points to 10.4%. Underemployment edged higher, rising 0.1
Employment
US jobs growth tops forecasts in May
The United States labour market delivered another stronger-than-expected performance in May, with employers adding significantly more jobs than forecast and unemployment remaining steady, further diminishing expectations for near-term interest rate cuts from the Federal Reserve. According to data released on Friday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), nonfarm payrolls increased by 172,000 in May, comfortably exceeding expectations for an 85,000 gain. The result followed an upwardly revised increase of 179,000 jobs in April. The unemployment rate held at 4.3%, matching market expectations and signalling continued resilience in the labour market despite concerns about slowing economic growth and the impact of higher borrowing costs. Job gains were broad-based across several sectors during the month. The leisure and hospitality sector led hiring, adding 70,000 positions. The increase was well above the sector's average monthly gain of 14,000 over the past year. Local government employment rose by 55,000 positions, while the health care sector, one of the most consistent sources of employment growth over the past year, added 35,000 jobs. Social assistance employment increased by 12,000. Wage growth remained stable,

Employment
US jobless claims hit 4mth high
The number of Americans filing new applications for unemployment benefits rose more than expected last week, reaching a four-month high, though economists said the broader trend continued to point to a resilient United States labour market. According to data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) on Thursday, initial claims for state unemployment benefits increased by 13,000 to a seasonally adjusted 225,000 in the week ended 30 May. The result exceeded market expectations for 213,000 claims and marked the highest level since early February. Despite the increase, economists largely attributed the rise to volatility associated with the Memorial Day holiday period, noting that claims often increase around public holidays. There was little evidence that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East had yet affected employment conditions, although uncertainty surrounding the economic outlook has grown. The four-week moving average of claims, which smooths weekly fluctuations, rose by 6,500 to 214,750. While claims have moved toward the upper end of their 190,000 to 230,000 range for 2026, layoffs remain low by historical standards. Applications for unemployment benefits could remain elevated in coming weeks as the
Employment
US job openings jump to 2yr high in April
United States job openings unexpectedly surged in April to their highest level in nearly two years, signalling resilient demand for workers even as hiring activity slowed and employee confidence weakened. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported on Tuesday that available positions climbed to 7.6 million during April, an increase of 731,000 from the previous month and the highest reading since May 2024. Economists had expected job openings to total 6.88 million. The increase pushed the number of available jobs above the total number of unemployed workers. The job openings rate rose by 0.4 percentage points to 4.6% of the labour force. Professional and business services accounted for the bulk of the increase, with openings rising by 668,000 positions. The sharp gain may indicate growing demand linked to artificial intelligence-related investment and business activity. Healthcare and social assistance, traditionally one of the largest sources of job creation in the United States, added 89,000 openings during the month. In contrast, financial activities recorded a decline of 134,000 available positions, while most other sectors experienced little change. Despite the rise in vacancies, hiring activity weakened
Employment
Aus unemployment grows to 4.5% in April
Australia’s unemployment rate increased to 4.5% in April as both full-time and part-time employment sank, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). Employment fell by 18,600 people to 14,737,400 during the month. Westpac economists had forecast a 15,000 increase in employment and a 4.3% unemployment rate. “Compared to what we usually see in April, more people remained unemployed this month,” said ABS head of labour statistics Sean Crick. “Both full-time and part-time employment fell, by 11,000 and 8,000 people respectively.” The unemployment rate was 4.3% in March, and the number of employed people had risen by nearly 18,000 that month. Full-time employment among women dropped by 19,000 people, while part-time female employment declined by 13,000. This is Australia’s first decrease in female employment since August 2025. Employment among men increased by 8,000 for full-time workers and 5,000 for part-time workers, meanwhile. Hours worked rose by 15.8 million last month, or 0.9% per person. In March, hours worked increased by 9.2 million. Full-time hours worked were up 1.0% per person in April, while for part-time workers this increased by 0.6%.
Employment
US payrolls beat forecasts despite warning signs
United States job growth exceeded expectations in April, although several indicators within the closely watched nonfarm payrolls report pointed to a labour market that continues to lose momentum amid broader economic uncertainty. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported on Friday that nonfarm payrolls increased by a seasonally adjusted 115,000 during the month, above market expectations for 62,000 jobs but below the revised gain of 185,000 recorded in March. The unemployment rate held steady at 4.3%, reinforcing the view that only modest employment growth is currently required to maintain stable labour market conditions due to limited expansion in the workforce. Average hourly earnings rose by 0.2% for the month and 3.6% from a year earlier, both below market forecasts of 0.3% monthly growth and 3.8% annual growth, suggesting wage pressures may be easing. Despite the stronger-than-expected headline figure, the report also highlighted several underlying concerns, including another decline in labour force participation and continued weakness in technology-related employment as businesses maintain a cautious hiring environment. The labour force participation rate fell to 61.8%, its lowest level since October 2021,