Hong Kong (People's Daily) – Hong Kong's unemployment rate marginally edged down to 6.1 percent in the rolling three-month period between May and July, compared with 6.2 percent for April to June, the Census and Statistics Department announced on Wednesday.

The slight decline of the unemployment rate has ended a nine-month run of rise, but the labor market still remains under significant pressure in the near term. “The jobless threat has yet to go away,” Secretary for Labor and Welfare Dr. Law Chi-kwong warned in an official statement.

“The recent surges in infection both worldwide and locally have further clouded Hong Kong’s economic outlook for the rest of the year,” he said.

(Photo: agencies)

Between May and July, there were 1,800 more people out of work, taking the total to 242,500. Analyzed by sector, the unemployment rate of the consumption and tourism-related industries combined edged up to 10.8 percent during that period, remaining at the a more than 15-year high.

Looking ahead, Law said the government had rolled out relief measures at an unprecedented scale, including a series of measures on job retention and job creation, which would help keep workers employed.