Australia April Employment Unexpectedly Falls, Jobless Rate Ticks Up

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia employment unexpectedly dipped in April, following two months of outsized gains, while the jobless rate also ticked up, in a sign that the red-hot labour market might be cooling.

Figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed net employment fell 4,300 in April from March, when they rebounded by a revised 61,100. Market forecasts had been for a rise of 25,000.

The jobless rate ticked up to 3.7%, when analysts had expected a steady 3.5%.

(Reporting by Stella Qiu; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)