Cracks appear as unemployment rate hits six-month high
- The unemployment rate rose to 3.0% in April (Mar: 2.9%), ending five months of stability
- The number of unemployed rose 0.6% MoM (Mar: 0.4%) to a nine-month high of 511.8k (Mar: 509.0k).
- Actively unemployed (those available for work and actively seeking work), rose to 407.1k (Mar: 405.8k), although their share of unemployed declined further to 79.5% (Mar: 79.7%).
- Employment growth sustained at 0.1% MoM (Mar: 0.1%), pointing to continued hiring
- By sector: Services remained the primary employment driver, led by wholesale & retail trade, accommodation and food & beverage services, and information & communications. Employment also rose in manufacturing, construction, agriculture, and mining & quarrying.
- By employment status: Employee picked up to 0.1% MoM (Mar: 0.0%), while own-account workers slowed to a three-month low of 0.2% (Mar: 0.3%). Employer were flat (0.0%; Mar: 0.2%), and unpaid family workers fell for the second straight month (-0.2%; Mar: -0.2%).
- Labour force participation rate held steady at a record high of 70.9% (Mar: 70.9%) for the fourth straight month
- The labour force grew steadily at 0.1% MoM (Mar: 0.1%) to 17.33m (Mar: 17.31m).
- Those outside the labour force edged off for the fifth straight month (-0.01%; Mar: -0.02%) to 7.10m (Mar: 7.103m).
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