Unemployment Rate Country: Previous: 5.1% Actual: 5.2% The percentage of individuals in the labor force who are without a job but actively seeking one. A higher Unemployment Rate is generally a drain on the economy. Not only does it mean that resources are not being fully utilized, but it also results in lower consumer spending as there are fewer workers receiving paychecks. Note: The unemployment rate generally moves slowly, so changes of only a few tenths of a percent are still considered significant. Also note that the unemployment rate does not account for discouraged workers. Therefore, in an economically depressed environment, such as that which occurred in Cold War era East Germany, the Unemployment Rate may not accurately reflect the extent of problems. Employment Change Country: Previous: 27.7K Actual: 28.4K Tracks the number of employed in Australia. The figure appears in the monthly Labour Force Survey conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. A surge in new employment suggests higher spending potential and budding inflation pressures, which the RBA often counters with rate increases. The headline figure is the annualized percentage change in employed workers