Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that favourable situation of the job market prevailed. The unemployment rate for January-March 2012 was 2.0%, down by 0.1 percentage point over the previous period (December 2011-February 2012); the underemployment rate held stable as the previous period, at 0.8%. Total labour force was 347,000 and the labour force participation rate stood at 72.9%. Total employment reached 340,000, an increase of 1,100 over the previous period. Analyzed by industry, employment of Hotels, Restaurants & Similar Activities and the Construction Sector saw increase. Number of the unemployed decreased by 300 from the previous period to 6,800, with 12.4% being fresh labour force entrants searching for their first job, up by 0.5 percentage point. In the first quarter of 2012, the unemployment rate of local residents was 2.5%, down by 0.3 percentage point quarter-to-quarter; the overall unemployment rate also decreased by 0.2 percentage point. Total labour force registered an increase of 2,500 in the first quarter of 2012, with total employment increasing by 3,300, while number of the unemployed decreasing by 800. Analysed by industry, 25.8% of the employed were working in Recreational, Cultural, Gaming & Other Services; and 15.1% in Hotels, Restaurants & Similar Activities. Median monthly employment earnings of the employed stood at MOP11,000 and that of local residents amounted to MOP13,000 in the first quarter of 2012, up by MOP700 and MOP1,000 respectively quarter-to-quarter.
