Australia’s unemployment rate dips to 4% as economy adds 40,000 new jobs

Australia’s unemployment rate was 4% in May, according to the ABS, down slightly from 4.1% in April. Photograph: LeoPatrizi/Getty Images

Australia’s unemployment rate eased last month as employers shrugged off rising costs including higher interest bills to keep adding to their workforces.

The jobless rate was 4% in May, the Australian Bureau of Statistics said on Thursday. That was in line with economists’ predictions and was a slight drop from April’s 4.1%.