According to the latest Monster Employment Index (MEI), the demand for IT professionals in Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines is still struggling, with little sign of recovery.

The MEI, a monthly gauge of online job hiring activity, records the industries and occupations that show the highest and lowest growth in recruitment activity. In December 2015, Singapore registered the least decline in hiring activities in the IT, Telecom/ ISP and BPO/ ITES sector at -3% year-over-year.

Malaysia reported a -33% year-over-year decline in the sector, the weakest among the three markets surveyed. This is a further dip from November’s -30% year-over-year, making it one of the lowest growth sectors in the country.

Demand for Software, Hardware and Telecom professionals are just as slow, with negative growth reported across all three markets, and demands in Singapore and Malaysia coming in as the lowest growth industry.