World May 21, 2026 · 1 min read

Australia’s unemployment rate jumps to 4.5% in ‘tentative signs labour market is buckling’

Surprise rise in jobless rate will give Reserve Bank more reason to delay another interest rate hike at June meetingFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAustralia’s unemployment rate has jumped to 4.5% in April to reach the...

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The Guardian
by Patrick Commins Economics editor
Australia’s unemployment rate jumps to 4.5% in ‘tentative signs labour market is buckling’

Surprise rise in jobless rate will give Reserve Bank more reason to delay another interest rate hike at June meeting

Australia’s unemployment rate has jumped to 4.5% in April to reach the highest in about four-and-half-years, amid fears rising interest rates and the global oil crisis will smash economic growth.

The number of employed people unexpectedly fell by 18,600 in the month – the first decline this year – dragging the jobless rate up from 4.3%, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

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This article was originally published by The Guardian and written by Patrick Commins Economics editor.

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