TO
2
SUNDAY, JULY 16, 1989
ATTRIBUTABLE
THE INCREASES IN PER CAPITA EARNINGS WERE PARTLY THE ISSUE OF SPECIAL BONUSES AND BACKPAY ARISING FROM SALARY REVISION BY SOME COMPANIES IN THESE INDUSTRIES.
THE
ON THE OTHER HAND, PER CAPITA EARNINGS DECREASED SLIGHTLY IN FOOD AND DRINKS INDUSTRY, AND SHOWED LITTLE CHANGE IN THE FABRICATED METAL PRODUCTS INDUSTRY.
COMPARED WITH MAY 1988, PER CAPITA EARNINGS IN MAY 1989 INCREASED SUBSTANTIALLY IN ALMOST ALL MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES SURVEYED, WITH THE LARGEST INCREASES RECORDED IN THE PLASTIC PRODUCTS AND THE ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS INDUSTRIES.
IN THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR, EMPLOYMENT IN MAY 1989 DROPPED SLIGHTLY WHEN COMPARED WITH APRIL 1989, BUT INCREASED SLIGHTLY WHEN COMPARED WITH MAY 1988. PER CAPITA EARNINGS IN MAY 1989 SHOWED A SLIGHT INCREASE OVER APRIL 1989 BUT A SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE OVER MAY 1988.
COMPANY
IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT FIGURES FOR THIS SECTOR COVER EMPLOYEES ONLY; SITE WORKERS EMPLOYED BY LABOUR-ONLY SUB-CONTRACTORS ARE NOT INCLUDED.
IN THE SERVICE SECTORS SURVEYED, THE OVERALL LEVEL OF EMPLOYMENT IN MAY 1989 WAS ABOUT THE SAME AS IN APRIL 1989, BUT INCREASED MODERATELY OVER MAY 1988.
PER CAPITA EARNINGS IN MAY 1989 DROPPED SUBSTANTIALLY WHEN COMPARED WITH APRIL 1989, WHICH WAS MAINLY DUE TO SPECIAL BONUSES HAVING BEEN ISSUED BY SOME OF THE COMPANIES IN APRIL 1989.
COMPARING MAY 1989 WITH MAY 1988, PER CAPITA EARNINGS INCREASED SUBSTANTIALLY FOR THE SERVICE SECTORS TAKEN TOGETHER.
THE
PERCENTAGE CHANGES IN ORDERS-ON-HAND, EMPLOYMENT AND PER CAPITA EARNINGS ARE SHOWN IN TABLES 1 TO 3.
THE SURVEY COVERED A PANEL OF THE 200 LARGEST MANUFACTURING COMPANIES AND THE 50 LARGEST COMPANIES IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND SELECTED SERVICE SECTORS, CHOSEN BY REFERENCE TO THEIR EMPLOYMENT SIZES IN SEPTEMBER 1986.
THE DEPARTMENT CAUTIONED THAT AS THE SURVEY IS NOT BASED ON A SCIENTIFICALLY SELECTED SAMPLE, THE MAGNITUDES OF CHANGE INDICATED BY THE SURVEY RESULTS ARE MERELY A REFLECTION OF THE EXPERIENCE OF THE COMPANIES SURVEYED.
HOWEVER, GIVEN THE COMPOSITION OF THE PANEL, IT SHOULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE A USEFUL INDICATION OF THE DIRECTION OF CHANGE FOR MAKING A QUICK ASSESSMENT OF DEVELOPMENTS IN THE ECONOMY IN THE SHORT TERM.
THE SURVEY REPORT FOR MAY 1989 IS NOW ON SALE AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE, GENERAL POST OFFICE BUILDING, CONNAUGHT PLACE, CENTRAL, AND AT THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT PUBLICATIONS SALES COUNTER, 19TH FLOOR, WANCHAI TOWER 1, 12 HARBOUR ROAD, WAN CHAI, AT $2 FER COPY.
ENQUIRIES ABOUT THE SURVEY RESULTS MAY BE MADE TO THE INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION STATISTICS SECTION OF THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT ON 5-8234820.
/TABLE 1