Australia Adds 47,500 Jobs in August, Surpassing Expectations and Signaling Strong Labor Market
September 20, 2024Over the past five months, the labor market has seen impressive gains, with a total of 205,000 jobs added.
Deputy governor Sarah Hunter noted that the current job market appears stronger than what is sustainable long-term, indicating conditions may be 'above' full employment.
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) views the low unemployment rate as potentially inconsistent with efforts to control inflation, which remains a concern.
The participation rate in the workforce held steady at a record high of 67.1%, reflecting increased workplace flexibility and a growing number of women entering the job market.
Deutsche Bank's Phil Odonaghoe highlighted a trend of slowing labor demand, suggesting firms are opting to reduce work hours rather than halt hiring.
Australia's economy added 47,500 jobs in August, significantly surpassing economists' expectations of 26,000 and marking the fifth consecutive month of robust labor growth.
This increase in employment comes despite a slight decrease from the previous month's growth of 58,200 jobs recorded in July.
Despite positive job market figures, analysts from Oxford Economics suggest these developments are unlikely to influence mortgage rates.
This employment data was released shortly after the US Federal Reserve's decision to cut rates, adding further context to the global economic landscape.
Local businesses are struggling to fill a high number of vacancies, particularly for skilled labor, as employers actively seek to hire.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers praised the creation of new jobs as a solid achievement amid a slowing economy, noting that most of the nearly 978,000 new jobs created under the Albanese Government are full-time and predominantly for women.
As a result, the RBA may not cut interest rates soon, especially given the strong labor market dynamics.
Summary based on 5 sources
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Sources
The Guardian • Sep 19, 2024
Australia’s unemployment rate unchanged at 4.2%, dampening hope of RBA interest rate cutInvesting.com • Sep 19, 2024
Australia Aug employment jumps past expectations, jobless rate steadyInvesting.com • Sep 19, 2024
Australia jobs surge past expectations in August, labor market remains hotnews.com.au — Australia’s leading news site • Sep 19, 2024
Alarming figure ahead of RBA rate decision