Today's Labour Market Survey for May 2022 showed that hiring continued at a rapid pace last month in an increasingly tight labour market, driving the jobless rate to another record low and fueling a sharp acceleration in wage gains. The economy added 39,000 jobs in May, surpassing expectations. The unemployment rate fell to 5.1%, far below the noninflationary rate of joblessness. Job vacancies are at a record high, and wage inflation accelerated to 3.9%, from the 3.2% pace posted in April.
Another sign of a red-hot jobs market was a shift from part-time employment to full-time. Full-time employment jumped by 135,400, with part-time jobs down by 95,800.
The excess supply of jobs continues to push wages higher and will undoubtedly cause the Bank of Canada to continue to hike rates aggressively. The Governing Council of the Bank will release their next decision on July 13, as money market traders now see an even chance that the central bank will increase the overnight policy rate by 75 bps next month. |
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