Australia job ads dip 0.8% in Sept: ANZ

[SYDNEY] Australian job advertisements in newspapers and on the internet eased for a second month in September while annual growth in ads slowed further, a survey showed on Monday.

Figures from Australia and New Zealand Banking Group showed total job advertisements dipped 0.8 percent in September, from August when they fell 0.7 per cent.

Ads averaged 175,555 a week, 4.7 per cent higher than in September last year. That was a slowdown from 5.1 per cent in August and a peak above 14 per cent in early 2017.

"ANZ job ads have essentially tracked sideways since they jumped sharply at the start of this year," said ANZ's head of Australian economics David Plank.

"The level of job ads is still consistent with ongoing employment growth, but at a level that stabilises the unemployment rate rather than pushes it lower."

The official jobless rate has gradually declined to reach its lowest in six years at 5.3 per cent.

REUTERS