Construction activity expanded for the third straight month in May, albeit at a slower pace as operating conditions became more difficult, according to a survey of the sector.
The Australian Industry Group/Housing Industry Association Performance of construction Index was 53.2 in May, down 2.6 points from April, but still above the 50-point level indicating an expansion in activity. House building experienced the strongest conditions, with a rise in new orders and increased investor activity.
The total number of job advertisements in newspapers and on the internet rose 4.3% in seasonally adjusted terms in May compared with April to an average of 167,633 ads per week, contributing to a 21.7% annual increase, ANZ said.
The number of Internet job advertisements rose 5% in May from April, contributing to an annual increase of 22.3% in seasonally adjusted terms. But job advertisements in newspapers fell 6.5% over the same period, contributing to a 13.2% annual increase in seasonally adjusted terms.
US stocks tumbled broadly Friday, with Caterpillar, American Express and Boeing among the decliners following a disappointing report on US jobs and as Hungary emerged as Europe's latest economic problem.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 323.31 points (3.15%) to 9,931.97, its lowest close since Feb. 8. All of its components were in the red Friday. For the week, the measure declined 2.02%.
Beef exports jumped 15% on month in May to a 14-month high of 85,762 boneless tonnes, partly reflecting strong growth in exports to the US and Russia, according to Meat & Livestock Australia.
Exports in May rose 3.5% on year, assisted by an increase in cattle slaughter since late April and a sharp weakening in the Australian dollar during the month. Beef shipments in May took total exports in the first five months of the year to 348,883 tonnes, down 9% on the year-earlier period.
US stocks rose slightly on Thursday, led by technology companies including Cisco Systems and Microsoft and energy companies such as Exxon Mobil, as investors edged their way back toward riskier areas of the market.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average eked out a gain of 5.74 points (0.06%) to 10,255.28, the measure's second consecutive gain. It was the Dow's first two-day gain since late April.
US stocks rose broadly on Wednesday, led by the energy sector as investors viewed the recent declines in companies such as Halliburton, Baker Hughes and Exxon Mobil as overdone, while a better-than-expected report on pending home sales also boosted sentiment.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 225.52 points (2.25%) to 10,249.54, its third-biggest one-day gain this year. However, the measure is still down 8.53% from its 2010 closing high, reached in late April, and is off 1.71% for the year to date.
The economy grew at a much slower pace in the first quarter than at the end of last year as the withdrawal of economic stimulus, surprise weakness in business investment and sluggish growth in export volumes took some of the steam out of activity. The average measure of GDP rose 0.5% in the first quarter of 2010 from the fourth quarter 2009 and rose 2.7% from the year-earlier period, the ABS said.
Energy companies led a decline in US stocks on Tuesday, as BP's mounting troubles, including US civil and criminal investigations announced late in the session, rattled investors already worrying over a global economic slowdown and its potential impact on companies including Alcoa and Caterpillar.
The concerns ultimately outweighed better-than-expected reports on US construction spending and manufacturing that had boosted stocks earlier in Tuesday's session.
Manufacturing grew at a slower pace in May due largely to weaker new orders, production and inventories, a performance gauge produced by an industry group shows. Rising interest rates, weaker confidence on the back of global equity market losses and the ongoing debt crisis in Europe all combined to crimp factory gate output.
The Australian Industry Group-PricewaterhouseCoopers Australian Performance of Manufacturing Index fell 3.5 points in May from April to 56.3, above the 50.0 mark which separates expansion from contraction.
The RBA left interest rates unchanged in June saying its six rate hikes since October 2009 represent a significant adjustment to monetary policy, but it left open the prospect of a return from the sidelines within a short period of time saying policy is appropriate only for the "near-term."