HONG KONG: Hong Kong's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to 6.2pc in the April-to-June period, the highest in more than 15 years, as the coronavirus outbreak restricted activity in an economy already in recession.

The jobless rate rose from 5.9pc in the March to May period, the government said on Monday.

The underemployment rate hit 3.7pc, the highest in close to 17 years, from 3.5pc in the previous three-month rolling period.

Total employment was 3.6204 million, about the same as compared with 3.6195 million in the previous three-month rolling period.

"The still serious epidemic situations in certain parts of the world, and renewed surge in local cases lately serve as a timely reminder that the economic outlook is still subject to huge uncertainties," Law Chi-Kwong, Secretary for Labour and Welfare, said in the statement.