Australia Job Ads Rebound in July

Australia’s ANZ–Indeed Job Ads increased 2.0% month-over-month in July 2026, reversing a 0.2% decline in the previous month and marking the fourth monthly rise so far this year. The upturn suggested labor demand remained resilient despite elevated interest rates and a softer economic backdrop, pointing to continued strength in hiring activity. The latest increase also indicated that employers are still looking to fill vacancies, supporting expectations that labor market conditions remain relatively tight. Even so, the pace of job creation has moderated from previous years, consistent with the Reserve Bank of Australia's efforts to ease inflationary pressures while steering the economy toward a more balanced growth path.

Australia’s ANZ–Indeed Job Ads eased 0.2% month-over-month in June 2026, reversing an upwardly revised 2.0% gain in May and marking the third monthly fall this year. The data indicated a gradual cooling in labour demand as higher borrowing costs weighed on hiring. ANZ Economist Aaron Luk highlighted that ads have fallen about 28% since late-2022 peaks but remain above pre-pandemic levels. He expects demand to soften further as elevated interest rates, a cooling housing market, and geopolitical uncertainty slow activity, leading to fewer ads and a gradual rise in unemployment. Sectoral weakness was most pronounced in retail, food preparation, and management, partly offset by stronger demand for nurses and real estate professionals. Indeed’s Callam Pickering noted logistics vacancies stabilised, though driver demand continued to weaken. Compared with a year earlier, job ads edged up 0.5% and remained 15% above their decade average, underscoring resilience despite cyclical headwinds.

ANZ–Indeed Australian Job Ads rose 1.8% mom in May 2026, rebounding from a 0.6% decline in the prior month and marking the first gain since February. The increase was driven by stronger demand in food preparation, education, nursing, and construction-related roles. In contrast, transport and driving job ads fell sharply for a second consecutive month, likely reflecting disruptions linked to the Middle East conflict. ANZ economist Madeline Dunk noted that restrictive interest rates are expected to slow economic growth in the coming months, which should lead job ads to trend lower and the unemployment rate to gradually edge higher. Compared with a year earlier, job ads increased 2.0% and remained 15.1% above their decade-long average, indicating that labour demand continues to be relatively resilient despite signs of cooling.