This from news.com.au:
THE jobless rate remained at 5.0 per cent for a third straight month in February as the number of people employed unexpectedly fell by 10,100, new data released today shows.
This was the first fall in total employment in a year.
Economists had forecast a further 20,000 increase in the number of people employed, with the unemployment rate staying at 5.0 per cent.
The ABS report also showed aggregate hours worked by employed people in Australia rose by 1.1 per cent in February, seasonally adjusted.
That followed a fall of 0.8 per cent in January.
Aggregate hours worked in February 2011 were 2.3 per cent higher than in February 2010.
