The ABS notes surrounding the sample......>

AUSTRALIA: The ABS notes surrounding the sample timing (as flagged in prev.

bullet) means that we can virtually discount the labour market report. To recap

"quality assurance of March data did not identify any major impact to headline

statistics, with only some small early impacts evident, particularly in hours

worked. It is important to note that the reference period for March was 1-14

March, which was before a global pandemic was declared and before the major

actions in Australia to contain the spread of the virus." Worth flagging that

outside of the headline metrics, we saw the following.

- Underemployment: 8.8% prev. 8.7%

- Underutilisation: 14.0% prev. 13.8%

- Chief Economist at the ABS, Bruce Hockman, said: "Today's data shows some

small early impact from COVID-19 on the Australian labour market in early March,

but any impact from the major COVID-19 related actions will be evident in the

April data. Given the expected unseasonal change in key labour market indicators

in the current COVID-19 context, the ABS will increase the focus on seasonally

adjusted over trend data estimates for April and subsequent months."