SYDNEY (Reuters) -Job vacancies in Australia rebounded in the May quarter, led by openings in the construction and professional sectors, data showed on Thursday, in a sign demand for labour remained resilient despite a soft economy.

Figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) showed vacancies bounced 2.9% in the three months to May, partly reversing a 4.3% drop in the previous quarter ended February.

Job openings were still down 2.8% from May last year at 339,400, but that was the smallest annual decline in the past two years.

Vacancies in the private sector increased 3.2%, while those in the public sector edged up 0.6%.

Vacancies rose in 8 of the 18 industries covered, with the largest percentage gains in construction and professional, scientific and technical services. The largest falls were in wholesale trade and electricity, gas, water and waste services.

The labour market has proven unexpectedly resilient in recent months even as the economy overall barely grew, with unemployment holding near historic lows at 4.1%.

(Reporting by Wayne Cole; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)