<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The unemployment rate has unexpectedly risen for the first time this year, boosting the chances of interest rate relief next month after the RBA's surprise hold last week.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>New data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics this morning revealed the jobless rate increased to 4.3 per cent in June, up from 4.1 per cent, where it had sat since January.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Economists had widely expected the figure to remain steady for what would have been the sixth consecutive month.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/babies-born-through-mitochondrial-donation-landmark-breakthrough-genetic-disease-uk/d4a2d43b-66f9-488a-aaa1-a2ff432830a8"><strong><span>Radical three-way IVF could end horrific disease passed on to babies</span></strong></a><strong><span></span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The rise came as about 38,000 people were out of full-time work last month, although 40,000 gained a part-time job.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"This month we saw the unemployment rate rise 0.2 percentage points, driven by a 34,000 increase in the number of unemployed people," ABS head of labour statistics Sean Crick said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"This month we saw a decrease in full-time hours worked, down 1.3 per cent, associated with a 0.4 per cent fall in full-time employees."</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/finance/unemployment-rate-june-2025-abs-data-interest-rates/26716d34-ab4d-4bfb-accf-d21bb375235b" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/dogs-in-cars-australia-laws-road-rules-for-pet-owners-explained/eb2c1824-2937-4265-b415-64b1eb56935e"><strong><span>Where your dog sits in the car could cost you thousands in fines</span></strong></a><strong><span></span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Persistently low unemployment has been one of the driving factors behind the RBA's caution in reducing interest rates over the past year, and the new data comes just a week after the central bank defied expectations by keeping the cash rate on hold.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Governor Michele Bullock and her monetary policy board will hold their next meeting in four weeks, with an interest rate decision to be handed down on August 12.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Prior to the release of the jobs data, financial markets had been pricing in a 91 per cent chance of a cut next month.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>:</span></em></strong><span> </span><em><strong><span>Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple App Store</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>.</span></em></strong></div></div>