Asian Currencies Hold Steady as Traders Await Fed Decision; Aussie Dollar Edges Higher 
Hong Kong Cuts Base Rate as HKMA Follows U.S. Federal Reserve Move 
China Warns of Rising Global Risks as Tariff Pressures Intensify in 2025 
Asian Stocks Slip as Oracle Earnings Miss Sparks AI Profitability Concerns 
Brazil Holds Selic Rate at 15% as Inflation Expectations Stay Elevated 
Japan Weighs New Tax Breaks to Boost Corporate Investment Amid Spending Debate 
Global Markets Steady as Yen Holds Firm After Japan Earthquake Amid Central Bank Focus 
BOJ Expected to Deliver December Rate Hike as Economists See Borrowing Costs Rising Through 2025 
Asian Currencies Steady as Fed Delivers Hawkish Rate Cut; Aussie and Rupee Under Pressure 
ADB Approves $400 Million Loan to Boost Ease of Doing Business in the Philippines 
Oil Prices Edge Higher as U.S. Seizes Sanctioned Venezuelan Tanker 
Silver Prices Surge to New Record Above $60 as Supply Concerns and Fed Expectations Boost Demand 
Wall Street Futures Steady as Markets Await Fed Decision; Nvidia Gains on China Chip Sales Approval 
Fed’s Dovish Tone Sends Dollar Lower as Markets Price In More Rate Cuts 
Global Forex Markets Brace for Fed Decision as Yen Extends Weakness 
US Signals Openness to New Trade Deal as Brazil Shows Willingness, Says USTR Greer 
In January 2025, the Australian labor market was complex, as the recent Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) report shows. The unemployment rate increased by a mere 0.1 percentage point to 4.1%. This increase is a situation where the expansion of the labor force outpaced the capacity to generate employment during the period.
Despite the rise in unemployment, total employment showed impressive growth as the economy added 44,000 jobs. It is a growth rate of 0.3%, led primarily by growth in full-time employment, which added 54,100 jobs. Meanwhile, part-time employment registered minimal contraction, testifying to the character of change in labor forces.
Participation rate reached as high as 67.3%, reflecting higher labor force participation. The rate of underemployment was at 6.0%, though combined underutilization rate rose to 10.1%. It reflects that as more individuals participate in the labor force, there is still a high percentage struggling with unemployment or underemployment, reflecting that full and effective use of the labor force is still a problem.
