Hong Kong's jobless rate remains unchanged at 3.7 percent in Feb-April

Hong Kong’s jobless rate remained stable at 3.7 percent in the three months through April, official data showed.

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stayed the same as that in the first quarter, data from the Census and Statistics Department showed.

The underemployment rate, however, dipped by 0.1 percentage point to 1.5 percent in the February-April period.

Movements in the unemployment rate in different industry sectors varied, with decreases mainly seen in the construction sector, while increases were mainly reported in the manufacturing sector, the department said.

The declines in the underemployment rate were witnessed in the foundation and superstructure sector, and the food and beverage service activities sector, it said. 

The number of unemployed persons rose by 2,600 to 139,200 in the three months ended April, and the total employment decreased by around 7,700 to 3.65 million. 

The city’s labor force also declined slightly to 3.79 million.

The number of underemployed persons dropped to 58,100.

Looking ahead, the robust growth momentum of the Hong Kong economy should render support to the overall labor market, said Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han in a statement accompanying the data.

Hong Kong’s economy grew at the fastest pace of 5.9 percent in over five years in the first quarter. 

The government will remain vigilant to the potential implications of the elevated geopolitical risks, he added.

𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽 ↓