Australian Unemployment Rate up to 4.5%

Unemployment rate remained steady at 4.5%. The male unemployment rate increased by 0.3 percentage points to 4.4%, and the female unemployment rate decreased by 0.3 percentage points to 4.5%.

The following is an unedited transcript of the news release from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. TREND ESTIMATES (MONTHLY CHANGE) Employment increased to 10,749,400  Unemployment increased to 498,100  Unemployment rate remained steady at 4.4%  Patricipation rate remained steady at 65.0% SEASONALLY ADJUSTED ESTIMATES (MONTHLY CHANGE) EMPLOYMENT  decreased by 1,200 to 10,742,300. Full-time employment decreased by 43,900 to 7,640,200 and part-time employment increased by 42,800 to 3,102,200.  UNEMPLOYMENT increased by 2,600 to 501,100. The number of persons looking for full-time work increased by 2,600 to 349,400 and the number of persons looking for part-time work remained steady at 151,700. UNEMPLOYMENT RATE remained steady at 4.5%. The male unemployment rate increased by 0.3 percentage points to 4.4%, and the female unemployment rate decreased by 0.3 percentage points to 4.5%. PARTICIPATION RATE decreased by 0.1 percentage point to 65.0%. Available at: http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs%40.nsf/mf/6202.0