Australia’s unemployment rate rises slightly from 3.4% to 3.5% as more people seek work

The labour market figure will be watched by economists as a guide to the Reserve Bank's decision on whether to further raise interest rates

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Australia's jobless rate rose last month to 3.5%, as more people sought work and the economy added jobs even as rising interest rates squeezed finances for households and businesses.

Labour market data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on Thursday showed the economy added about 33,500 positions in August. The participation rate, which tracks the proportion of people looking for work, rose to 66.6%.