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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1786
DECEMBER ORDERS-ON-HAND, EMPLOYMENT, 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 INCREASED SLIGHTLY IN DECEMBER 1985 COMPARED WITH THE PREVIOUS MONTH, ACCORDING TO THE RESULTS OF A SURVEY RELEASED TODAY (FRIDAY) BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT,
MOST MAJOR INDUSTRIES, INCLUDING THE WEARING APPAREL, TEXTILES, PLASTIC PRODUCTS, AND ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS INDUSTRIES REPORTED INCREASES IN ORDERS BUT THE FABRICATED METAL PRODUCTS INDUSTRY REPORTED NO CHANGE.
THE LEVEL OF EMPLOYMENT IN THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR AS A WHOLE DECREASED SLIGHTLY. THIS DECREASE WAS ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE DECLINE IN EMPLOYMENT IN THE PLASTIC PRODUCTS, AND ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS INDUSTRIES.
ON THE OTHER HAND, THE FOOD AND DRINKS, WEARING APPAREL, TEXTILES AND FABRICATED METAL PRODUCTS INDUSTRIES REPORTED A STABLE EMPLOYMENT SITUATION.
INCREASES IN BOTH PAYROLL AND PER CAPITA EARNINGS WERE REPORTED BY ALL THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES SURVEYED. SUCH INCREASES WERE MAINLY DUE TO THE PAYMENT OF YEAR-END BONUSES AND MORE OVERTIME WORK PERFORMED.
IN THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR, THE EMPLOYMENT LEVEL WAS UNCHANGED. PAYROLL AND PER CAPITA EARNINGS SHOWED SOME INCREASE AS A FEW FIRMS PAID BONUSES TO THE IR EMPLOYEES.
EMPLOYMENT IN THE SERVICES SECTORS REMAINED STABLE. HOWEVER, BOTH PAYROLL AND PER CAPITA EARNINGS INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY BECAUSE MANY FIRMS USED TO DISTRIBUTING BONUSES AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
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 THE IR 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