HONG KONG, April 24 (Xinhua) -- The outlook for business in the second quarter is brighter than in the first, particularly for the manufacturing, import and export trade, transport and related services and business-services sectors, Hong Kong Census and Statistics Department said here Thursday.

According to the department's Quarterly Business Tendency Survey, 34 percent of respondents forecast a better outlook while only 8 percent expected it to be worse.

Respondents also expect a rise in their volume of business/ output, particularly in the manufacturing, import and export trade, transport and related services, communications, business services, banks, financing and insurance sectors.

On employment, those in the wholesale and retail, restaurants and hotel, real estate, banks, financing and insurance sectors expect a Q2 rise.

Except the banks, financing and insurance sector, respondents in other sectors expect selling prices and service charges to increase, particularly in the manufacturing, wholesale and retail, restaurants and hotels sectors.