Figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics on Thursday showed net employment dived 65,100 in December from November, when it surged a revised 72,600. Market forecasts had been for an increase of around 17,600.

Full-time employment sank 106,600 in December. The jobless rate stayed at 3.9%. The participation rate dropped sharply to 66.8%, from a record high of 67.3%.

(Reporting by Wayne Cole; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)