2
TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 1981
NOMINAL INDEX
INCLUDING FRINGE BENEFITS
% CHANGE SEPT 80 OVER
INDUSTRY
SEPT 79 MAR 80
SEPT 80
MAR 80 SEPT 79
MANUFACTURING
185
202
214
+ 5.9
+15.7
TEXTILES
185
205
217
+ 5.9
+17.3
ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES
194
211
225
+ 6.6
+16.0
ELECTRONICS
187
218
226
+ 3.7
+20.9
GARMENTS
182
193
208
+ 7.8
+14.3
GLOVES
166
175
188
+ 7.4
+13.3
HANDBAGS
177
209
208
- 0.5
+17.5
PLASTIC PRODUCTS OTHER
THAN FLOWERS AND TOYS
212
228
231
+ 1.3
+ 9.0
PLASTIC TOYS
180
197
200
+1.5
+11.1
PRINTING
217
226
264
+16.8
+21.7
THE DEPARTMENT ALSO PUBLISHED INDEXES OF REAL (THAT IS, AFTER DISCOUNTING FOR THE EFFECT OF INFLATION) AVERAGE DAILY WAGES FOR MANUFACTURING WORKERS. EXCLUDING FRINGE BENEFITS. THE
INDEX IN SEPTEMBER 1980 WAS 130, REPRESENTING AN INCREASE OF 1 POINT OR 0.8 PER CENT OVER SEPTEMBER 1979 AND NO CHANGE OVER MARCH 1980.
INCLUDING FRINGE BENEFITS, THE INDEX IN SEPTEMBER 1980 WAS 133, REPRESENTING ALSO AN INCREASE OF 1 POINT OR 0.8 PER CENT OVER SEPTEMBER 1979 BUT A DECREASE OF 1 POINT OR 0.7 PER CENT OVER MARCH 1980.
COMMENTING ON THESE INDEXES, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE ECONOMIC SERVICES BRANCH ATTRIBUTED THE APPARENT LACK OF INCREASE IN MANUFACTURING WAGE RATES IN REAL TERMS TO TWO FACTORS: FIRST, THE GROWTH RATE OF THE SUPPLY OF LABOUR WAS RAPID AS A RESULT OF IMMIGRATION SO THAT DESPITE THE GROWTH IN MANUFACTURING EMPLOYMENT IN THE FIRST HALF OF 1980, SUPPLY WAS STILL ABUNDANT. SECONDLY, THE DEMAND FOR MANUFACTURING WORKERS EASED IN THE SECOND HALF OF 1980 UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF UNFAVOURABLE ECONOMIC CONDITIONS IN SOME OF HONG KONG'S MAIN MARKETS.
THE SPOKESMAN