THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 1984
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APRIL ORDERS-ON-HAND AT HIGH LEVEL
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THE AVERAGE VOLUME OF ORDERS-ON-HAND IN TERMS OF MONTHS IN THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR STABILISED AT A HIGH LEVEL IN APRIL 1984, ACCORDING TO A SURVEY CONDUCTED BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT.
MOST INDUSTRIES REPORTED SOME INCREASES IN THE VOLUME OF ORDERS COMPARED WITH THE PREVIOUS MONTH, EXCEPT THE TEXTILES AND WEARING APPAREL INDUSTRIES WHICH REPORTED SLIGHT DECREASES, THE DEPARTMENT REPORTED IN ITS SURVEY OF EMPLOYMENT, PAYROLL AND ORDERS-ON-HAND FOR THE MONTH.
THE LEVEL OF EMPLOYMENT REMAINED STABLE FOR THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR AS A WHOLE, BUT SIGNIFICANT INCREASES WERE RECORDED IN THE PLASTIC PRODUCTS AND FABRICATED METAL PRODUCTS INDUSTRIES.
EMPLOYMENT IN THE SERVICES SECTORS SHOWED NO CHANGE FROM THE PREVIOUS MONTH, APART FROM A SMALL INCREASE RECORDED IN HOTELS. IN THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR, THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES INCREASED SLIGHTLY AS A FEW FIRMS STARTED SOME NEW CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.
COMPARED WITH THE PREVIOUS MONTH, INCREASES IN PAYROLL WERE RECORDED BY MOST MANUFACTURERS SURVEYED, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE WEARING APPAREL AND TEXTILES INDUSTRIES. THE INCREASES WERE MAINLY DUE TO PAYMENTS FOR OVERTIME WORK AND SALARY ADJUSTMENTS. ON THE OTHER HAND, PAYROLL AND PER CAPITA EARNINGS IN THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR DECREASED AS LESS OVERTIME WORK WAS PERFORMED.
SEVERAL SERVICES SECTORS, PARTICULARLY HOTELS, RECORDED SOME INCREASES IN BOTH PAYROLL AND PER CAPITA EARNINGS, REPORTEDLY DUE TO SALARY ADJUSTMENTS AND BONUSES.
THE PERCENTAGE CHANGES IN ORDERS-ON-HAND, EMPLOYMENT AND PER CAPITA EARNINGS FOR THE LAST THREE MONTHS ARE SHOWN IN THE ACCOMPANYING TABLES.
THE DEPARTMENT POINTED OUT THAT THE SURVEY COVERED A PANEL OF THE 200 LARGEST MANUFACTURING COMPANIES AND THE 50 LARGEST COMPANIES IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND SELECTED SERVICES SECTORS CHOSEN BY REFERENCE TO THEIR EMPLOYMENT IN MARCH 1983.
AS THE SAMPLE WAS NOT DRAWN ON A RANDOM BASIS, THE DEPARTMENT CAUTIONED THAT RESULTS ON MAGNITUDE OF CHANGE MIGHT NOT REFLECT THE EXPERIENCE OF THE ECONOMY AS A WHOLE, ALTHOUGH THEY SHOULD GIVE A USEFUL INDICATION OF THE DIRECTION OF CHANGE FOR A QUICK ASSESSMENT OF DEVELOPMENTS IN THE ECONOMY IN THE SHORT TERM.
THE SURVEY REPORT FOR APRIL 1984 IS NOW ON SALE AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE, GENERAL POST OFFICE, AT $1.5 A COPY.
/ENQUIRIES ON