2018.02.2205:59:00UTC+00Hong Kong Jobless Rate Unchanged In January

Hong Kong's unemployment rate held steady in the three months ended January, in line with expectations, preliminary figures from the Census and Statistics Department showed Thursday.

The seasonally adjusted jobless rate came in at 2.9 percent in the three months ended January, the same rate as in the October to December period.

At the same time, the underemployment rate decreased from 1.1 percent in October - December 2017 to 1.0 percent in November 2017 - January 2018.

On an unadjusted basis, the number of unemployed people totaled 106,600 in November to January, down from 109,800 in October to December.

At the same time, employment increased by around 11,500 over the period to 3.86 million in the three months to January.

"In view of the sanguine economic situation on entering 2018, the labor market is expected to remain tight in the near term," the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Dr Law Chi-kwong, said.

"Yet the employment outlook for the rest of the year will continue to hinge on how various external uncertainties evolve and we will stay vigilant and monitor the situation closely."