Employers in Hong Kong express optimism about their hiring activities in the third quarter this year.

According to the employment outlook survey conducted by recruitment consultant Manpower, 30% of employers in Hong Kong expect to increase staffing levels in the next three months, and 64% expect no change to their headcount.

It is reported that finance, insurance and real estate, services, and transportation and utilities expect a solid year-over-year improvement in hiring pace, with employers in the services sector having the highest hiring intentions (42%). Employers in mining and construction also report improved quarter-over-quarter hiring activity.

Lancy Chui, General Manager of Manpower Hong Kong and Macau Operations, comments that the anticipated growth of hospitality industry in Macau has triggered a long-running construction boom and created labour market demand among employers in Hong Kong’s mining and construction sector. As for the service sector’s optimistic hiring activity, this is due to domestic demand as well as an increase in retail sales driven by the influx of tourists from mainland China.

The survey, interviewing 807 employers in Hong Kong, forecasts hiring intentions for July to September 2008.