THURSDAY, MARCH 20, 1986
A STABLE EMPLOYMENT SITUATION WAS ALSO RECORDED FOR THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR AS A WHOLE. WHILE A MILD INCREASE IN EMPLOYMENT WAS RECORDED IN THE ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS INDUSTRY, DECREASES IN EMPLOYMENT WERE REPORTED BY SOME FIRMS IN THE WEARING APPAREL INDUSTRY MAINLY DUE TO THE DEPARTURE OF CASUAL WORKERS. SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN BOTH PAYROLL AND PER CAPITA EARNINGS WERE RECORDED FOR ALL MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES MAINLY DUE TO DOUBLE PAY AND YEAR-END BONUSES.
EMPLOYMENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR DECLINED SLIGHTLY AS SOME EMPLOYEES WERE LAID OFF. A SLIGHT DECREASE IN EMPLOYMENT WAS ALSO RECORDED FOR THE SERVICES SECTORS.
INCREASES IN PAYROLL AND PER CAPITA EARNINGS WERE REPORTED BY THE CONSTRUCTION AND MOST SERVICES SECTORS. HOWEVER, ONLY THE BANKING SECTOR REPORTED DECLINES BECAUSE MOST OF THE BANKS SURVEYED HAD ALREADY DISTRIBUTED THEIR ANNUAL BONUS AND DOUBLE PAY IN DECEMBER 1985.
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 JANUARY 1986 IS NOW ON SALE AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS SALES CENTRE, GENERAL POST OFFICE BUILDING, 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.
/(A) ORDERS-ON-HAND