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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1985
OCTOBER ORDERS-ON-HAND, JOB AND PAYROLL FIGURES OUT
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THE AVERAGE VOLUME OF ORDERS-ON-HAND (IN TERMS OF MONTHS) IN THE 200 LARGEST FIRMS IN THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR DECLINED SLIGHTLY IN OCTOBER 1985 COMPARED WITH THE PREVIOUS MONTH, ACCORDING TO THE RESULTS OF A SURVEY RELEASED TODAY BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT.
THERE WERE DECLINES IN THE AVERAGE VOLUME OF ORDERS IN THE PLASTIC PRODUCTS, FABRICATED METAL PRODUCTS, AND ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS INDUSTRIES. ON THE OTHER HAND, THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN THE ORDERS POSITION IN THE TEXTILES INDUSTRIES, AND NO CHANGE IN THE WEARING APPAREL INUDSTRY.
EMPLOYMENT IN MOST MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES FELL AS SOME FIRMS LAID OFF WORKERS. THE SLIGHT DECLINE IN THE FOOD AND DRINKS INDUSTRY WAS DUE TO SEASONAL EFFECTS, AS TEMPORARY WORKERS
IN MOON-CAKE BAKERIES LEFT EMPLOYMENT AFTER THE MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL.
THE WEARING APPAREL AND TEXTILES INDUSTRY REPORTED A STABLE EMPLOYMENT SITUATION.
THERE WERE INCREASES IN PER CAPITA EARNINGS IN MOST INDUSTRIES. IN THE WEARING APPAREL AND TEXTILES INDUSTRIES, THE INCREASES IN PER CAPITA EARNINGS AS WELL AS IN TOTAL PAYROLL MAINLY REFLECTED OVERTIME PAY IN SOME FACTORIES. IN THE FABRICATED METAL PRODUCTS INDUSTRY, A NUMBER OF FIRMS REPORTED
INCREASED PAYROLL BECAUSE OF SEVERANCE PAY GIVEN TO LAID-OFF WORKERS,
IN THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR, THE NUMBER OF OPERATIVES DECLINED AS SOME PROJECTS WERE COMPLETED.
PER CAPITA EARNINGS IN THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR AND PUBLIC UTILITY COMPANIES DROPPED BECAUSE THERE HAD BEEN PAYMENT OF BONUSES IN THE PRECEDING MONTH.
SLIGHT INCREASES IN EMPLOYMENT, PAYROLL AND PER CAPITA EARNINGS WERE RECORDED FOR HOTELS.
THE PERCENTAGE CHANGES IN ORDER-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 THE IR EMPLOYMENT IN MARCH 1983.
/AS THE
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