Mauritius and China report mixed economic and labor market trends

In Mauritius, the unemployment rate decreased to 5.5% in the second quarter of 2026, down from 5.7% in the previous quarter. According to the national statistics bureau, there are 32,000 unemployed individuals out of 550,600 people in the labor force. However, the data shows a decline in the total number of active participants, with 3,100 people losing jobs over a three-month period, particularly in the manufacturing, construction, and trade sectors.

Youth unemployment remains a concern, with over 6,000 individuals aged 16 to 24 without jobs. Additionally, more than 9,000 young people have recently registered with the Ministry of Labour to seek employment.

In China, recent economic data indicates a slowdown. Industrial enterprise profits grew by 4.2% year-on-year in August, a significant drop from the 11.2% recorded in July. Analysts note that real consumption is declining and real estate investments have contracted by half, suggesting that growth is increasingly reliant on the high-tech and digital sectors.