Jobless rate hits 4.5 year high as ASX posts strongest rally in weeks

Australia’s unemployment rate has climbed to its highest level since late 2021, with nearly 19,000 jobs lost and youth unemployment on the rise, raising fresh questions about the economic outlook and the path for interest rates. Deloitte Access Economics partner Stephen Smith breaks down what’s driving the shift and what it means in a climate of global uncertainty and elevated borrowing costs. Meanwhile, the sharemarket surged, with the ASX 200 posting its strongest gain in six weeks, lifted by materials, banks and real estate, as Heath Moss from HLM Investments unpacks what’s behind the rally and whether it can last.