2018.01.1719:45:00UTC+00Australia Jobless Rate Climbs To 5.5% In December

The unemployment rate in Australia came in at a seasonally adjusted 5.5 percent in December, the Australian Bureau of Statistics said on Thursday.

That was above forecasts for 5.4 percent, which would have been unchanged from November.

The Australian economy added 34,700 jobs last month, beating forecasts for an increase of 15,100 following the upwardly revised 63,600 gain in the previous month (originally 61,600).

The participation rate climbed to 65.7 percent, exceeding forecasts for 65.5 percent - which would have been unchanged.