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WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 1987
NOTWITHSTANDING AN INCREASE IN PER CAPITA EARNINGS. THERE WAS A MOBEST DROP IN PAYROLL IN THE PLASTIC PRODUCTS INDUSTRY BETWEEN MARCH 1986 AND MARCH 1987 DUE TO DECREASED EMPLOYMENT.
IN THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR, EMPLOYMENT IN MARCH 1987 REMAINED UNCHANGED COMPARED WITH FEBRUARY 1987 AND INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY WHEN COMPARED WITH MARCH 1986. ON THE OTHER HAND, PAYROLL AND PER CAPITA EARNINGS INCREASED SUBSTANTIALLY COMPARED WITH BOTH FEBRUARY 1987 AND MARCH 1986.
IN THE SERVICES SECTORS, OVERALL EMPLOYMENT IN MARCH 1987 WAS ABOUT THE SAME AS IN FEBRUARY 1987, WHILE PAYROLL AND PER CAPITA EARNINGS INCREASED MODERATELY. AMONG THE VARIOUS SERVICES SECTORS, ONLY BANKS RECORDED A SLIGHT DECREASE IN PAYROLL AND IN PER CAPITA EARNINGS COMPARED WITH THE PRECEDING MONTH.
COMPARED WITH MARCH 1986, OVERALL EMPLOYMENT IN THE SERVICES SECTORS INCREASED SLIGHTLY DESPITE THE DECREASE RECORDED IN HOTELS, AS FOR PAYROLL AND PER CAPITA EARNINGS, ALL THE SERVICES SECTORS RECORDED SIGNIFICANT INCREASES OVER MARCH 1986.
THE PERCENTAGE CHANGES IN ORDERS-ON-HAND, EMPLOYMENT AND PER CAPITA EARNINGS 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 THE MAGNITUDE OF CHANGE INDICATED BY THE SURVEY MIGHT NOT REFLECT THE EXPERIENCE OF THE ECONOMY AS A WHOLE. NEVERTHELESS, THESE RESULTS ARE EXPECTED TO PROVIDE 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 MARCH 1987 IS NOW ON SALE AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS SALES CENTRE, GENERAL POST OFFICE BUILDING AND AT THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT PUBLICATIONS SALES COUNTER, WANGHAI TOWER I, 12 HARBOUR ROAD, WAN CHAI, AT $1.50 PER COPY.
ENQUIRIES ABOUT THE SURVEY RESULTS MAY BE MADE TO THE INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION STATISTICS SECTION OF THE DEPARTMENT ON 5-8234820.
/A. ORDERS-ON-HAND IN