Unemployment rises to 3.1pc for December-February period

Hong Kong's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate edged up by 0.1 percentage points to 3.2 percent between December and February, according to data released yesterday by the Census and Statistics Department.
 
The underemployment rate remained unchanged at 1.1 percent.

Total employment fell by around 7,100 from 3,716,600 in the November-January period to 3,709,500 during the December-February period. The labor force also declined by about 5,400 to 3,821,300.

The number of unemployed rose by 1,600 while the underemployed number fell by 2,300.

Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han said he expects the labor-force market to remain largely steady for the short term with the economic expansion, while some companies may be affected by the United States' trade protectionism measures.

STAFF REPORTER