Hong Kong’s jobless rate remained unchanged at 3.7 percent in the second quarter, official data showed.
The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was in line with expectations in the April - June period.
The underemployment rate, however, increased to 1.6 percent from 1.5 percent in the three months, data from the Census and Statistics Department showed.
Movements in the unemployment rate in different industry sectors varied, with decreases mainly seen in the import and export sector, food and beverage services sector, and real estate sector, while increases were mainly reported in the manufacturing sector, and warehousing and support activities for the transportation sector, the department said.
The number of unemployed persons fell by 1,400 to 139,700 in the three months ended June, and the total employment increased by around 6,800 to 3.65 million.
The city’s labor force also climbed slightly to 3.79 million.
The number of underemployed persons gained by 5,600 to 62,400.
Looking ahead, the ongoing economic expansion should continue to render support to the overall labour market, though the entry of fresh graduates and school leavers during the summer may bring some impact, said Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han in a statement accompanying the data.
The government will continue to closely monitor the potential implications of the external uncertainties on corporate hiring sentiment, he added.
