Sydney: Australia`s jobless rate slipped slightly in December but remained at a decade-high, official data showed on Thursday, even as more people looked for work and expectations of further interest rate cuts grow.
Some 37,400 positions were added last month, with full-time jobs soaring by 41,600 as part-time roles eased by 4,100, the Australian Bureau of Statistics said.
"The leading indicators have been improving for some time and unemployment has been lagging that," Barclays` chief economist Kieran Davies told AFP.
"Job ads have been rising and business surveys are better than last year."
The November reading was revised down from a 12-year-high of 6.3 percent to 6.2, while the October data was adjusted up from 6.2 percent to 6.3.
The latest figures were stronger than economists` forecasts of an unemployment rate of 6.3 percent with 5,000 roles created. The Australian dollar jumped half a cent to 82.02 US cents after the data was released.
The participation rate -- which measures the proportion of adults in work or looking for work -- rose from a seasonally adjusted 64.7 percent in November to 64.8 percent in December.
Total aggregate hours worked fell 7.7 million hours to 1,597.8 million hours.
Despite the better-than-expected figures, economists were cautious about the reading given recent uncertainty over how the seasonally adjusted figures are calculated.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics is adjusting how it collects its data for the monthly survey and last month accepted all recommended changes from an independent review.
Australia`s unemployment rate has been edging up over the past two years as the economy prepares for an expected sharp fall-off in mining investment this year.
The economy`s transition away from resources-driven growth has been uneven, with growing expectations that the Reserve Bank of Australia could ease rates this year from its record low of 2.5 percent to boost businesses and consumers.
