Jobless rate down, but full-time work dips

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for December edged lower to 5.0 per cent, the ABS says.

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for December edged lower to 5.0 per cent, the ABS says. (AAP) Source: AAP

Australia’s unemployment rate edged lower in December to a seasonally adjusted 5.0 per cent, but the number of people in full-time work has dropped again.

Part-time employment drove a 21,600 increase in the number of people with jobs during the month – better than consensus expectation of 18,000 extra jobs.

But Thursday’s data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed the number of people employed full time dropped 3000.

This follows a 6400 drop in full-time employment during November, when an increased participation rate led to an unexpected jump in the unemployment rate to 5.1 per cent.