Macao's unemployment rate for the period of March to May this year stood at 2.9 percent, down by 0.1 percentage point over the previous period of February to April, according to the figures released on Monday by the city's Statistics and Census Service (DSEC).

The number of the unemployed reached 9,600 in the period, of which 5.4 percent were fresh labor force entrants searching for their first job, up by 0.5 percentage point over the previous period, the DSEC figures indicated.

Total labor force was 326,000 in the period with the labor force participation rate standing at 71.5 percent, up by 0.4 percentage point over the previous period.

Analyzed by industry, employment of Recreational, cultural, gaming and other services, Public administration and social security, and the Transport, storage and communications sector saw increase from the previous period, while that of Retail trade registered a decrease, according to the DSEC.