Statistics and Census Service in Macau released on Monday (July 27) the unemployment figures for the second quarter. The unemployment rate for April-June remained stable at 1.8% as in the first quarter, the underemployment rate was 0.4%, up by 0.1%.

Two out of three major industries in Macau had setbacks but strong performance from the hotel industry has stabilised the unemployment rate.

In the second quarter, employment in real estate & business sectors (29,600) and gaming & junket industry (83,800) dropped by 1,400 and 800 respectively, while hotel industry (28,400) added 2,300 people.

Total labour force was 405,400, the total number of employed person decreased slightly by 200 compared to the first quarter and the unemployed  remained at 7,200.

School leavers accounted for  9.5% of the total unemployed, up by 3.6 percentage points over the previous period.

Median monthly income for employees is MOP15,000 in the second quarter.  Median earnings local employees is at MOP17,500, down by MOP500 compared to the last quarter, this is the effect of employees not receiving bonuses  in the second quarter as most of them did in the first quarter.

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