SYDNEY: Australian employers unexpectedly added workers in October, pushing the nation's currency to its highest level this year on speculation the central bank will raise interest rates for a record third straight month.

The number of people employed rose 24,500 from September, the statistics bureau said in Sydney. The median estimate of 20 economists surveyed by Bloomberg was for a decline of 10,000. The jobless rate rose to 5.8 percent from 5.7 percent.

Australia's economy is expanding with "less spare capacity than earlier thought likely", the central bank said last week, as China's demand for resources spurs companies such as Chevron Corp to hire workers.