THE seasonally adjusted unemployment rate between February and April was 3.3 per cent, and the underemployment rate was 1.8 per cent, according to the Census and Statistics Department. Provisional seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for the period March to May edged slightly lower to 3.2 per cent, while the provisional underemployment rate was marginally higher, at 1.9 per cent. A Government spokesman said the labour market remained generally stable in recent months. Decreases in the unemployment rate were observed in the community, social and personal services and construction sectors, and to a lesser extent, in the manufacturing sector. As to the underemployment rate, the slight increase was concentrated in the manufacturing sector. The underemployment rates in the other major sectors remained largely stable. Total employment showed a rapid increase of 4.1 per cent in the three months ending April over a year earlier. But labour supply grew even faster, by 4.4 per cent. As a result, the unemployment rate remained at a relatively high level. During the period February to April, the number of unemployed persons with previous jobs was estimated at 90,700. Another 5,900 unemployed persons were first-time job-seekers. Unemployment and underemployment statistics were obtained from a continuous General Household Survey covering some 19,800 households or 66,700 persons, selected scientifically to represent the land-based civilian non-institutional population in Hong Kong.
