S&P/ASX 200 (INDEXASX:XJO) has recouped its early losses to gain 0.085% to 7,029 points by 1 pm as seasonally adjusted employment increased by 71,000 people between February and March 2021 according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ASS).
Energy and materials helped lift the index, with both sectors up close to 1.3%. All other subsectors were in the red or flat, with healthcare declining the most.
Hours worked recover
Bjorn Jarvis, head of labour statistics at the ABS, said this latest data showed continued recovery in the labour market into March 2021, with hours worked higher than March 2020, for the first time during the COVID period.
Jarvis said: “Employment and hours worked in March 2021 were both higher than March 2020, up by 0.6% and 1.2%.”
“In March 2021, 62.6% of people over 15 were employed, which was higher than March 2020 (62.4%)."
Top gainers
Today’s top gainers on the ASX include Argonaut Resources NL (ASX:ARE) (+10.00%), Montem Resources Corp (ASX:MR1) (+27.27%), Rimfire Pacific Mining N L (ASX:RIM) (+11.11%), St George Mining Ltd (ASX:SGQ) (+12.90%), Valor Resources Ltd (ASX:VAL) (+37.50%) and Metro Mining Ltd (ASX:MMI) (+8.33%).
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