XN000022-1981-02-08 — Page 3

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1981

COMPARING THE FIGURES FOR SEPTEMBER 1980 WITH THOSE FOR JUNE 1980 TO SHOW THE MORE SHORT-TERM CHANGES, WHILE A FAIRLY LARGE DECREASE IN EMPLOYMENT WAS RECORDED IN THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR, INCREASES WERE RECORDED IN EMPLOYMENT IN THE OTHER THREE SECTORS.

EMPLOYMENT IN THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR DECREASED BY 3.6 PER CENT BETWEEN JUNE AND SEPTEMBER 1980. PART OF THIS DECREASE, ACCORDING TO A SPOKESMAN IN THE ECONOMIC SERVICES BRANCH, WAS SEASONAL.

HE POINTED OUT THAT A SIMILAR, ALBEIT LESS SUBSTANTIAL, DECREASE OCCURRED IN THE THIRD QUARTERS OF BOTH 1977 AND 1978. HE ADDED, HOWEVER, THAT UNFAVOURABLE ECONOMIC CONDITIONS IN HONG KONG'S MAIN MARKETS MUST ALSO HAVE BEEN AN IMPORTANT FACTOR LEADING TO THE DECREASE.

NEVERTHELESS, EMPLOYMENT IN THE FINANCE, INSURANCE, REAL ESTATE AND BUSINESS SERVICES SECTOR INCREASED BY 4.3 PER CENT BETWEEN JUNE AND SEPTEMBER 1980. DURING THE SAME PERIOD, EMPLOYMENT IN THE WHOLESALE AND RETAIL, IMPORT AND EXPORT, AND RESTAURANTS AND HOTELS SECTOR INCREASED BY 1.4 PER CENT AND EMPLOYMENT OF MANUAL WORKERS ON BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION SITES INCREASED BY 0.9 PER CENT.

DETAILS OF EMPLOYMENT IN SELECTED INDIVIDUAL INDUSTRIES WITHIN THE FOUR SECTORS ARE GIVEN IN THE TABLES BELOW. FURTHER DETAILS ARE OBTAINABLE FROM THE EMPLOYMENT AND EARNINGS STATISTICS SECTION OF THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT.

DETAILS OF EMPLOYMENT IN SELECTED INDUSTRIES

1. MANUFACTURING SECTOR

EMPLOYMENT IN

PERCENTAGE INCREASE

INDUSTRY GROUP

SEP 79 JUN 80 SEP 80

SEP 80 ON

SEP 79

SEP 80 ON

JUN 80

WEARING APPAREL (EXCLUDING

KNITWEAR FROM

YARN)

254 800 269 100

255 700

3.3

-5.0

TEXTILES

(INCLUDING

KNITWEAR FROM

YARN)

127 900 132 500

124 600

-2.6

-6.0

ELECTRICAL MACHINERY

APPLIANCES AND

SUPPLIES.

INCLUDING

ELECTRONIC

PRODUCTS

118 200 123 600

119 100

0.8

-3.6

PLASTIC PRODUCTS

91 600 95 100

86 300

-5.8

-9.2

FABRICATED METAL PRODUCTS

84 200 · 91 500

84 800

0.6

/II. BUILDING AND

-7.4