SYDNEY, Feb 16 (Reuters) - Australia employment
surprised in January by falling for a second straight month
while the jobless rate jumped to its highest since last May, a
soft result that could lessen pressure for further aggressive
interest rate hikes.
Figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics on Thursday
showed net employment fell 11,500 in January from December, when
they dropped a revised 19,900. Market forecasts had been for a
rise of 20,000 in January.
The jobless rate climbed to 3.7%, when analysts had looked
for it to hold at 3.5%, and hours worked fell by a sharp 2.1% as
more workers than usual took annual leave in January.
(Reporting by Wayne Cole; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)
Messaging: wayne.cole.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))
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