Trade Surplus Lifts as Exports Rebound in December
- Australia’s goods trade surplus widened to AUD 3.37bn in December, as exports rebounded 1.0% m/m, led by a sharp lift in shipments to China, while imports eased
- US labour market signals softened, with initial jobless claims jumping to 231k, well above expectations, marking the largest weekly rise in nearly two months and pointing to easing momentum in hiring.
- Job openings fell sharply, down 386k to 6.54m, the lowest level since 2020 and well below forecasts, reinforcing signs that labour demand is cooling.
- Looking ahead In Australia, Reserve Bank (RBA) Governor Michele Bullock appears before the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Economics.
