/VIEWS: Bank desk views on today's........>

AUSTRALIA: /VIEWS: Bank desk views on today's Australian labour market report:

- ANZ: With ANZ jobs growth picking up in the latest month, and ongoing strength

in business conditions, reported profitability and hiring intentions, we expect

another moderate gain in employment in May. We look for a rise of 18k and an

unemployment rate of 5.5%..

- CBA: Despite good jobs growth over the past 18 months or so the unemployment

rate remains stuck around 5.5% and underemployment is elevated. The leading

indicators of employment are solid and suggest decent jobs growth over the next

six months or so.

- RBC: Job creation has been slowing thus far in 2018 and is now a far cry from

the consistent 30k+ gains of mid 2017. That said, we expect labour market

conditions to remain mostly favourable this year, and residual momentum from

forward-looking indicators including vacancy rates/job ads suggests that some

strength should still be seen in May, despite a recent fall in leads which may

impact later reads.