However, during negotiations with the United States, the European Union and several other developed economies, these very QCOs were repeatedly flagged as opaque non-tariff barriers, complicating market access and slowing progress on key FTAs. When major trade partners made it clear that India’s expanding QCO regime was not aligned with global norms and posed compliance concerns under the WTO’s Technical Barriers to Trade framework, the long-pending course correction finally gained urgency, as industry insiders hinted about sudden policy shift of the Indian government.

The recent withdrawal of QCOs for essential textile raw materials—covering PTA, MEG, PSF, PFY, FDY, POY and several technical polymers—has opened the door for full value addition in India’s MMF and textile ecosystem. Manufacturers across weaving, knitting, processing, technical textiles and garmenting say the rollback has restored access to globally benchmarked inputs at competitive prices, reversing the cost escalation that had eroded export competitiveness. Industry representatives note that the move has already begun easing supply bottlenecks, narrowing the gap between domestic and global prices and encouraging companies to revive deferred expansion plans.

Australia’s labour market strengthened in October 2025, with the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate easing to 4.3 per cent after a temporary rise in September, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). The rate aligns with levels recorded through June to August, signalling continued labour market stability despite pockets of adjustment.

The number of unemployed people fell by 17,000, while employment expanded by 42,000. More jobseekers moved directly into employment than is typical for October, lifting full-time employment sharply by 55,000. Both women and men contributed to these gains, with female full-time employment rising by 29,000 and male full-time employment by 26,000, ABS said in a press release.

Australia’s unemployment rate fell to 4.3 per cent in October as 42,000 people gained jobs and unemployment dropped by 17,000.
Strong full-time growth, especially among women, outweighed a fall in part-time roles.
Participation held at 67 per cent, while hours worked rose 0.5 per cent.
Underemployment edged down to 5.7 per cent.
Trend unemployment rate stood at 4.4 per cent.

Part-time employment fell by 13,000, driven primarily by a 21,000 drop among women, partly offset by an 8,000 rise among men. The participation rate held steady at 67 per cent overall, although it diverged by gender: male participation increased to 71 per cent, while female participation slipped to 63.1 per cent. The employment-to-population ratio remained stable at 64 per cent.

Hours worked rose by 0.5 per cent—outpacing the rise in employment—indicating stronger labour demand and fewer people working reduced hours. The underemployment rate dropped to 5.7 per cent, down 0.2 percentage points for the month and 0.5 percentage points from a year earlier. Combined with lower unemployment, the underutilisation rate dipped to 10.0 per cent, continuing its steady improvement since 2020.

Trend data reaffirmed this resilience, with trend unemployment holding at 4.4 per cent. Trend unemployment is the jobless rate shown without short-term fluctuations, giving a clearer picture of the labour market’s real direction.

Trend employment grew by 27,000 (0.2 per cent) in October and 1.5 per cent over the year. Monthly hours worked rose by 0.1 per cent in trend terms, slightly lagging employment growth but remaining broadly consistent with long-term patterns. Trend participation edged up to 67 per cent, while the employment-to-population ratio stayed at 64 per cent. The trend underemployment and underutilisation rates were steady at 5.8 per cent and 10.1 per cent respectively, added the release.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (SG)