FRIDAY, JULY 17, 1981
NOMINAL INDEX
INCLUDING FRINGE BENEFITS
% CHANGE MAR. 81 OVER
INDUSTRY
MAR. 80 SEPT 80 MAR 81
SEPT 80 MAR 80
MANUFACTURING
202
214
231
+ 7.9
TEXTILES
205
217
233
+ 7.4
+14.4
+13.7
ELECTRICAL
211
225
229
+1.8
+ 8.5
APPLIANCES
ELECTRONICS
218
226
263
+16.4
+20.6
GARMENTS
193
208
221
+ 6.3
+14.5
GLOVES
175
188
188
+ 7.4
HANDBAGS
209
208
220
+ 5.8
+ 5.3
PLASTIC PRODUCTS
228
231
249
+ 7.8
+ 9.2
OTHER THAN FLOWERS
AND TOYS
PLASTIC TOYS
PRINTING
197
200
216
+ 8.0
+ 9.6
226
264
271
+ 2.7
+19.9
THE DEPARTMENT ALSO PUBLISHED INDEXES OF REAL (THAT IS, AFTER DISCOUNTING THE EFFECT OF INFLATION) AVERAGE DAILY WAGES FOR MANUFACTURING WORKERS.
EXCLUDING FRINGE BENEFITS, THE INDEX IN MARCH 1981 WAS 131, REPRESENTING AN INCREASE OF 1 POINT OR 0.8 PER CENT OVER MARCH 1980 AND 1 POINT OR 0.8 PER CENT OVER SEPTEMBER 1980,
INCLUDING FRINGE BENEFITS, THE INDEX IN MARCH 1981 WAS 135, REPRESENTING ALSO AN INCREASE OF 1 POINT OR 0.7 PER CENT OVER MARCH 1980 AND 2 POINTS OR 1.5 PER CENT OVER SEPTEMBER 1980.
COMMENTING ON THE FIGURES, A SPOKESMAN FROM THE ECONOMIC SERVICES BRANCH OF THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT SAID THAT THE LACK OF INCREASE IN MANUFACTURING WAGE RATES IN REAL TERMS WAS THE RESULT OF THE GROWTH RATE OF SUPPLY OF LABOUR CONTINUING TO BE RAPID, A DIRECT AND INDIRECT EFFECT OF RECENT IMMIGRATION.
AT THE SAME TIME, THE GROWTH RATE OF DEMAND FOR LABOUR IN THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR WAS SLOWING DOWN IN RESPONSE TO UNFAVOURABLE ECONOMIC CONDITIONS IN HK'S MAJOR MARKETS.
/THE INDEX