Hong Kong's jobless rate drops to 4.5 pct in July-September

HONG KONG, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- Hong Kong's downtrend of its unemployment rate continues in the last quarter as economic recovery sustains, official data showed Thursday.

The jobless rate in the global financial hub stood at 4.5 percent during the July-September period, down from 4.7 percent seen in between June and August, the Census and Statistics Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government said in a report.

Most major economic sectors saw declines in its unemployment rates, with significant drops in the sectors of decoration, repair and maintenance for buildings and arts, entertainment and recreation, according to the report.

Looking ahead, Secretary for Labor and Welfare Law Chi-kwong said the labor market should see further improvement as the economy continues to recover.

However, Law stressed that the global pandemic situation remains the major uncertainty for the future of Hong Kong's economy and labor market, and that the community should be vigilant and strive towards more widespread vaccination.