… jobs have been created over the year to August 31, the best growth in more than four years, according to CommSec. The unemployment rate dropped to 6.2 per cent. The participation rate fell to 65 per cent.

8.7 per cent

… was the lift in the number of job advertisements in the year to August. Over the month they rose 1 per cent.

93.9

… was the level of the Westpac/Melbourne Institute consumer sentiment index in September, a drop of 5.6 per cent in the month and more than reversing August's 7.8 per cent rise. Pessimists have outnumbered optimists since May and the index is now slightly below its value a year ago.

28.2 per cent

… was how many respondents to a survey by Westpac/Melbourne Institute said real estate was the best place to invest, a 12-year high. It was followed by savings deposits (27 per cent), paying down debt (17.4 per cent), shares (8.2 per cent) and a super fund (4.8 per cent).

+10.7 points

… was the level of the NAB business conditions index in the last week of August, an improvement from +6.0 the month before. But the confidence index dropped from +3.5 to +0.7 points, a six-month low.

223,502

… was the record number of new homes approved in the year to July.