For the second month in a row, Corporate India's online hiring activity fell by five per cent in August, mainly due to less hiring in investment-led sectors like manufacturing, engineering & construction, said a survey.

The Monster's Employment Index, a monthly gauge of the country's online job demand, declined by six points to 123 in August, as against 129 in July, said recruitment services firm Monster India in a survey.

"Monster Employment Index India has shown some slowdown in recruitment activity this summer, notably in investment-led industries, such as production/manufacturing, engineering, construction, iron and steel," Monster.com Managing Director (India/ Middle East/ South East Asia) Sanjay Modi said.

"However, the longer-term trend still reflects expansion, with the Index showing growth of 14 per cent over the past six months," Modi added.

Five of the 27 industry sectors monitored by the index saw positive hiring activity last month.

Online job demand in the BPO/ITes sector dropped five per cent between July and August, its first monthly drop observed since January this year.

Production and manufacturing sector noted the steepest month-on-month decline of 28 per cent in August.

The related engineering, cement, construction, iron/steel industry, exhibiting one of the sturdiest six-month growth rates, also slid three per cent in August from July.

Online recruitment activity in banking, finance and insurance exhibited the steepest six-month decline among the professional service sectors as it continued to fall in August.

Education, one of the most steadily growing industry sectors, witnessed its sharpest decline of 23 per cent in August, the report stated.

Among cities, just five in 13 locations saw an increase in online job opportunities in the reviewed month.

Mumbai, Chennai (six per cent each) followed by Hyderabad (five per cent) led all major metropolitan markets by measure of monthly rise in job opportunities in August.

Delhi-NCR and Bangalore saw a decline in online job demand of three per cent and one per cent, respectively in August.