WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 1986
COMPARED WITH THE PREVIOUS MONTH, THERE WAS A GENERAL INCREASE IN EMPLOYMENT IN THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR DUE MAINLY TO THE RECRUITMENT OF SUMMER WORKERS.
PAYROLL IN THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR AS A WHOLE WAS STABLE. PER CAPITA EARNINGS IN MOST INDUSTRIES HOWEVER DECREASED BECUASE LESS OVERTIME WORK WAS PERFORMED AFTER THE RECRUITMENT OF SUMMER WORKERS WHO HAD LOWER WAGES THAN REGULAR EMPLOYEES.
ON THE OTHER HAND, THE FOOD AND DRINKS INDUSTRY REPORTED INCREASES IN BOTH PAYROLL AND PER CAPITA EARNINGS BECAUSE MORE OVERTIME WORK WAS PERFORMED DUE TO THE HIGH SEASONAL DEMAND FOR BEVERAGES.
THE NUMBER OF OPERATIVES ENGAGED IN THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR DECREASED AS SOME PROJECTS WERE COMPLETED. ON THE OTHER HAND, A STABLE EMPLOYMENT SITUATION WAS REPORTED BY THE SERVICES SECTORS.
PER CAPITA EARNINGS IN THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR DECLINED DUE TO LESS OVERTIME WORK, WHICH ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO THE DECLINE IN PAYROLL. HOWEVER, INCREASES WERE REPORTED BY RESPONDENTS IN SOME SERVICES SECTORS DUE TO THE PAYMENT OF BONUSES AND SALARY REVISION.
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 JUNE 1986 IS ON SALE AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS SALES CENTRE, GENERAL POST OFFICE BUILDING, AND THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT PUBLICATIONS SALES COUNTER, KAI TAI 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.
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