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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1986
OCTOBER 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 IN OCTOBER 1986 INCREASED COMPARED WITH THAT IN OCTOBER LAST YEAR BUT REMAINED STABLE RELATIVE TO SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR, ACCORDING TO THE RESULTS OF A SURVEY RELEASED TODAY BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT.
COMPARED WITH OCTOBER LAST YEAR, SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN THE VOLUME OF ORDERS WERE REPORTED FOR THE TEXTILES AND FABRICATED METAL PRODUCTS INDUSTRIES AND, TO A LESSER EXTENT, THE WEARING APPAREL AND ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS INDUSTRIES. ON THE OTHER HAND, THE VOLUME OF ORDERS IN THE PLASTIC PRODUCTS INDUSTRY DROPPED CONSIDERABLY.
COMPARED WITH SEPTEMBER. THE VOLUME OF ORDERS IN THE TEXTILES AND FABRICATED METAL PRODUCTS INDUSTRIES INCREASED, WHILE THAT IN THE PLASTIC PRODUCTS INDUSTRY DECLINED.
THE LEVEL OF EMPLOYMENT IN THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR REMAINED STABLE IN OCTOBER 1986 COMPARED WITH THAT IN THE SAME MONTH LAST YEAR. HOWEVER, IT WAS SLIGHTLY BELOW THE LEVEL IN THE PREVIOUS MONTH, MAINLY DUE TO THE DEPARTURE OF SUMMER WORKERS.
ALL MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES SURVEYED RECORDED AN INCREASE IN PAYROLL AND IN PER CAPITA EARNINGS OVER THE SAME MONTH LAST YEAR. COMPARED WITH SEPTEMBER. INCREASES IN BOTH PAYROLL AND PER CAPITA EARNINGS WERE ALSO RECORDED FOR THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR AS A WHOLE.
HOWEVER, DECREASES WERE REPORTED FOR THE FOOD AND DRINKS, PLASTIC PRODUCTS AND FABRICATED METAL PRODUCTS INDUSTRIES.
IN THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR, THERE WAS AN INCREASE IN EMPLOYMENT OVER THE PREVIOUS MONTH AS SOME FIRMS STARTED NEW PROJECTS. PAYROLL ROSE SLIGHTLY DESPITE SOME DECLINE IN PER CAPITA EARNINGS. HOWEVER. EMPLOYMENT WAS STILL BELOW THAT OF THE SAME MONTH LAST YEAR, ALTHOUGH PAYROLL AND PER CAPITA EARNINGS SHOWED AN INCREASE.
IN THE SERVICES SECTORS, THE LEVELS OF EMPLOYMENT, PAYROLL AND PER CAPITA EARNINGS WERE HIGHER THAN THOSE OF THE SAME MONTH LAST YEAR. COMPARED WITH THE PREVIOUS MONTH, THERE WAS, HOWEVER, LITTLE CHANGE IN EMPLOYMENT AND A SLIGHT DECLINE IN PAYROLL AND IN PER CAPITA EARNINGS.
THE PERCENTAGE