Online hiring activity continues to decline in Malaysia, with 11 percent year-on-year activity in August, shows Monster.com data. Seven, of the nine industry sectors monitored by Monster Employment Index (MEI), showed an annual decline.

The retail and the banking saw a drop of 26% while financial services and insurance industry was down by 21 percent in August. Both the sectors have been in sharp decline for six months straight. Hiring in finance and accounts sectors also witnessed six months of annual decline by 15 percent in August.

Oil and gas industry saw a rise in activity by eight percent, while the information technology, telecom/Internet service provider and business process outsourcing/information technology enabled services industry registered 11 percent growth.

Hospitality and travel professionals registered increased hiring activity of 15 percent year-on-year in August which is its fourth consecutive month of annual growth. On a six-month basis, the profession saw the steepest growth as well, up 15 percent, among all job roles.

Sales and business development jobs, however, reported the steepest decline at 15 percent as it continued to fall.