Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated in view of a substantial increase in total employment, the unemployment rate for May-July 2012 receded to 2.0%, down by 0.1 percentage point over the previous period (April-June 2012); the underemployment rate was 0.9%, down by 0.1 percentage point.

Total labour force increased by 2,500 from the previous period to 348,000; the labour force participation rate stood at 72.2%, up by 0.3 percentage point.

Total employment reached 341,000, up by 2,600 over the previous period. Analysed by industry, employment of Hotels, Restaurants & Similar Activities and Retail Trade saw notable increase, while that of the Manufacturing Sector registered decrease.

Number of the unemployed decreased by 100 from the previous period to 7,000, with 14.9% being fresh labour force entrants searching for their first job, up by 4.7 percentage points.

In comparison with May-July 2011, the unemployment rate and the underemployment rate decreased by 0.7 and 0.2 percentage point respectively, while the labour force participation rate increased by 0.1 percentage point.