Dollar boosted by positive jobs data

THE Australian dollar rose more than half a US cent after the release of stronger-than-expected employment data.

At 11.30am AEDT today, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) announced that 46,300 jobs were added to the economy in September, compared to the 15,000 rise that economists were expecting.

The unemployment rate fell to 5.1 per cent from an unrevised 5.2 per cent.

Economists had expected the jobless rate to rise to 5.3 per cent.

By 11.31am AEDT, the currency had risen to 107.39 US cents, compared with 106.86 cents just before the data was released.

The Australian dollar finished yesterday's local session at 107.52 US cents.