+
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1985
EMPLOYMENT IN THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR FELL, PARTICULARLY IN THE FABRICATED METAL PRODUCTS INDUSTRY AS SUMMER WORKERS BEGAN TO LEAVE THE FACTOR IES. DECREASES IN BOTH PAYROLL AND PER CAPITA EARNINGS WERE REPORTED BY THE FABRICATED METAL PRODUCTS AND TEXTILES INDUSTRIES BECAUSE OF LESS OVERTIME WORK PERFORMED IN AUGUST.
IN THE ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS INDUSTRY, EMPLOYMENT AND PAYROLL FELL AS SOME FIRMS REDUCED THEIR VOLUME OF PRODUCTION.
EMPLOYMENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR DECLINED SLIGHTLY AS SOME CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS WERE COMPLETED. ON THE OTHER HAND, EMPLOYMENT IN THE SERVICES SECTORS REMAINED UNCHANGED. PER CAPITA
BUT EARNINGS IN THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR SHOWED LITTLE CHANGE, THOSE IN THE SERVICES SECTORS DECLINED BECAUSE THERE HAD BEEN SALARY REVISIONS AND PAYMENTS OF BONUSES BY SOME FIRMS IN JULY, AND LESS OVERTIME WORK WAS PERFORMED IN AUGUST.
THE PERCENTAGE CHANGES IN ORDERS-ON-HAND, EMPLOYMENT AND PER CAPITA EARNINGS FOR THE LAST THREE MONTHS ARE SHOWN IN THE TABLES BELOW.
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 AUGUST 1985 IS NOW ON SALE AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS SALES CENTRE, GENERAL POST OFFICE BUILDlae, AND THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT PUBLICATIONS SALES COUNTER, KAI TAK COMMERCIAL BUILDING, AT $1.50 PER COPY.
ENQUIRIES ABOUT THE SURVEY RESULTS MAY BE MADE TO THE INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION STATISTICS SECTION OF THE DEPARTMENT AT 3-7212854.
ORDERS-ON-HAND IN MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES
INDUSTRY
WEARING APPAREL, EXCEPT
FOOTWEAR
(% CHANGE OVER THE PRECEDING MONTH) JUNE JULY AUG. 1985 1985 1985
-1
2
1
ORDERS-ON-HAND (IN TERMS OF MONTHS) FOR AUGUST 1985
4.49
/TEXTILES, EXCEPT