Group 1 - The unemployment rate for June to August 2025 remains unchanged at 3.7%, compared to the previous three months [1] - The total employment increased by approximately 9,300 people, rising from 3,671,300 to 3,680,600 [1] - The total labor force also increased by about 15,400, from 3,816,200 to 3,831,600 [1] Group 2 - The number of unemployed individuals rose by approximately 6,000, from 145,000 to 151,000 [1] - The underemployment rate increased from 1.4% to 1.6% during the same period [1] - The Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Sun Yuhan, noted that the employment situation will continue to be influenced by the operating conditions of individual industries [2]

Group 1 - The unemployment rate in Hong Kong for the period from April to June 2025 is 3.5%, unchanged from the previous period [1] - The underemployment rate remains stable at 1.4% during the same timeframe [1] - Total employment decreased from 3,664,700 to 3,657,300, a reduction of approximately 7,400 individuals [1] Group 2 - The total labor force also declined from 3,800,500 to 3,793,500, a decrease of about 7,000 individuals [1] - The number of unemployed individuals (not seasonally adjusted) is reported at 136,200, which is similar to the previous figure of 135,800 [1] - The number of underemployed individuals decreased from 53,600 to 52,600, a reduction of about 1,000 [1] Group 3 - The unemployment rates across different industries showed varied changes, with declines noted in the arts, entertainment, and recreation sectors, as well as in professional and business services [1] - Conversely, increases were observed in the construction and food service sectors [1] - The Secretary for Labour and Welfare indicated that the trends in unemployment rates will differ across industries due to ongoing transformations [2]

Employment Statistics - In March 2025, total employment across all covered industries was 2,714,400, a decrease of 0.5% or 14,500 jobs compared to the same period last year [1][2] - The most significant employment increases were observed in the accommodation services sector (4.0% or 1,500 jobs), human health services (3.9% or 6,000 jobs), and real estate (3.7% or 5,100 jobs) [2] - Conversely, notable employment declines occurred in the retail sector (-4.6% or -11,100 jobs), wholesale trade (-3.4% or -1,700 jobs), information and communications (-3.3% or -3,600 jobs), and food services (-2.8% or -6,300 jobs) [2] Job Vacancy Statistics - As of March 2025, there were 55,170 job vacancies in private institutions, a decrease of 27% or 20,010 vacancies compared to the previous year [1][3] - The education sector accounted for 5,660 vacancies, followed by professional and business services (5,050), accommodation and social work services (4,950), food services (4,860), and financial and insurance services (4,660) [3] - Significant reductions in job vacancies were noted in transportation, warehousing, postal and courier services (-5,080 or -58%), human health services (-2,760 or -43%), and professional and business services (-1,670 or -25%) [3] Seasonally Adjusted Statistics - Seasonally adjusted figures indicated a slight increase of less than 0.05% in total employment and a decrease of 7.3% in total job vacancies when comparing March 2025 to December 2024 [4]

Economic Overview - The overall local GDP in Hong Kong increased by 3.1% in Q1 2025 compared to the same period last year, up from a 2.5% increase in Q4 2024 [1] Service Sector Analysis - The total value added by all service activities rose by 2.6% in Q1 2025 year-on-year, compared to a 1.7% increase in Q4 2024 [1] - The value added by import and export trade, wholesale and retail industries increased by 4.2% in Q1 2025 year-on-year, contrasting with a 0.2% decline in Q4 2024 [1] - The accommodation and food services sector saw a decrease of 1.8% in value added in Q1 2025 year-on-year, following a 2.6% increase in Q4 2024 [1] - The transportation, warehousing, postal, and courier services sector's value added rose by 2.9% in Q1 2025 year-on-year, down from a 6.8% increase in Q4 2024 [1] - The information and communications sector's value added increased by 1.3% in Q1 2025 year-on-year, slightly down from a 1.5% increase in Q4 2024 [1] - The financial and insurance sector's value added rose by 4.4% in Q1 2025 year-on-year, compared to a 1.9% increase in Q4 2024 [1] Other Industries - The real estate, professional, and business services sector recorded a 0.3% decline in value added in Q1 2025 year-on-year, following a 1.7% increase in Q4 2024 [2] - The public administration, social, and personal services sector's value added increased by 1.7% in Q1 2025 year-on-year, down from a 3.0% increase in Q4 2024 [2] - The local manufacturing sector's value added rose by 0.7% in Q1 2025 year-on-year, compared to a 1.0% increase in Q4 2024 [2] - The electricity, gas, water supply, and waste management sector experienced a 1.4% decline in value added in Q1 2025 year-on-year, following a 3.0% increase in Q4 2024 [2] Construction Industry - The construction sector's value added declined by 1.9% in Q1 2025 year-on-year, following a 4.7% decrease in Q4 2024 [3]

Core Insights - The overall business confidence among Hong Kong SMEs remains cautious despite a slight increase in the Composite Business Index to 43.8, reflecting the uncertain global economic outlook [1] - Three out of five sub-indices showed growth, specifically in "Business Conditions," "Profit Performance," and "Investment Intentions," while "Global Economy" and "Recruitment Intentions" declined [1] - The "Global Economy" sub-index fell to 24.9, nearing levels seen in Q2 2022, indicating increased challenges for Hong Kong SMEs due to global trade uncertainties [1] Investment Trends - Over 94% of surveyed Hong Kong SMEs plan to maintain or increase investments, with a focus on online marketing, e-commerce training, IT systems, R&D projects, and overall employee training [2] - The "Financial and Insurance" sector experienced the highest increase in the business index, while "Information and Communication," "Real Estate," and "Accommodation and Food Services" saw significant declines [2] Cost Expectations - The anticipated rise in material costs has slowed, with 54% of SMEs expecting increases, down three percentage points from the previous quarter [2] - The percentage of SMEs planning to raise employee salaries decreased by seven percentage points to 20%, and only 17% intend to increase product or service prices, down three percentage points [2] Future Business Strategies - Approximately 78% of SMEs have plans to adapt to current risks, primarily by increasing local customer bases and enhancing operational processes with AI/digital applications [4] - Nearly 29% of SMEs are considering expanding into other markets within the next three years, with a notable interest in mainland China and ASEAN regions [4][5] Support Initiatives - The Hong Kong Productivity Council has established "The Cradle Outbound Service Center" to provide comprehensive support for SMEs looking to expand overseas, addressing challenges in product, technology, and management exports [5]

Group 1 - The unemployment rate for January to March 2025, seasonally adjusted, remains at 3.2%, unchanged from December 2024 to February 2025 [1][2] - The underemployment rate also remains stable at 1.1% during the same period [1][2] - Total employment decreased from 3,709,500 in December 2024 to 3,692,700 in January to March 2025, a reduction of approximately 16,800 [1][2] Group 2 - The total labor force declined from 3,821,300 to 3,815,500, a decrease of about 5,800 [1][2] - The number of unemployed individuals increased from 111,700 to 122,800, an increase of approximately 11,100 [1][2] - The number of underemployed individuals rose from 40,700 to 42,700, an increase of about 2,000 [1][2] Group 3 - Unemployment rates varied across industries, with notable increases in the information and communications sector, social work activities, professional and business services (excluding cleaning services), and construction [1][2] - Conversely, the transportation and insurance sectors experienced declines in unemployment rates [2] - The government anticipates that external uncertainties due to trade tensions may affect hiring intentions in some industries, while domestic economic growth supported by government measures is expected to bolster labor demand [2]