Australia’s labor market showed renewed strength in October, with employment rising by 42.2k, more than double market expectations of 20.3k. The gain was driven by a 55.3k surge in full-time positions, partly offset by a -13.1k drop in part-time work, highlighting a solid expansion in higher-quality jobs.
The unemployment rate unexpectedly fell from 4.5% to 4.3%, beating forecasts of 4.4%, while the participation rate held steady at 67.0%. Meanwhile, monthly hours worked climbed 0.5% mom, further underscoring the underlying resilience of labor demand.
The upbeat figures reaffirm Australia’s labor market resilience and encourage the RBA to maintain its current cautious tone rather than pivot quickly toward easing. With inflation pressures lingering and employment holding firm, the RBA is likely to wait for clearer signs of slack before signaling rate cuts—keeping February as the earliest plausible window for policy adjustment.
