XN000022-1981-07-18 — Page 2

SATURDAY, JULY 18, 1981

ORDERS-ON-HAND FOR MAY 1981

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THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT TODAY (SATURDAY) RELEASED ORDERS-ON-HAND STATISTICS FOR MAY 1981 AS FOLLOWS:

INDUSTRY GROUP

ORDERS-ON-HAND

IN TERMS OF MONTHS

MAY 1980 APR. 1981 MAY 1981

WEARING APPAREL, EXCEPT FOOTWEAR

5.2

4.7

4.6

TEXTILES, EXCEPT WEARING APPAREL

2.6

2.5

2.5

PLASTIC PRODUCTS

4.5

4.0

3.9

FABRICATED METAL PRODUCTS,

EXCEPT MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT

4.4

3.8

3.7

ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC MACHINERY,

APPARATUS, APPLIANCES AND

SUPPLIES

4.9

5.2

5.2

OTHERS

4.0

3.8

3.7

ALL MANUFACTURING

4.5

4.3

4.2

COMPARING THE ORDER BOOK POSITION IN MAY 1981 WITH THAT IN APRIL. THERE WAS A SLIGHT DECLINE IN THE VOLUME OF ORDERS HELD BY MANUFACTURERS SURVEYED. THE DECREASE OCCURRED MAINLY IN THE WEARING APPAREL, PLASTICS, AND FABRICATED METAL PRODUCTS INDUSTRIES,

THE ABOVE STATISTICS ARE BASED ON AN UPDATED AND ENLARGED PANEL OF THE 200 LARGEST MANUFACTURING COMPANIES SELECTED BY REFERENCE TO THEIR EMPLOYMENT SIZE IN SEPTEMBER 1979. AS THE PANEL IS NOT A SCIENTIFICALLY DESIGNED SAMPLE, RESULTS OBTAINED WILL BE REPRESENTATIVE ONLY OF THE COMPANIES INCLUDED IN THE PANEL, BUT IT IS HOPED THAT THEY WILL GENERALLY INDICATE THE DIRECTION OF CHANGE IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY AS A WHOLE.

THE SURVEY, WHICH IS CONDUCTED MONTHLY, ALSO ASKS QUESTIONS ON EMPLOYMENT AND PAYROLL AND COVERS THE CONSTRUCTION AND SELECTED SERVICES SECTORS BESIDES MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY.

THE SURVEY REPORT FOR MAY 1981 IS NOW ON SALE AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE, GENERAL POST OFFICE BUILDING, AT $1 PER COPY. ENQUIRIES ON THE SURVEY RESULTS MAY BE MADE TO THE INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION STATISTICS SECTION OF THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT (AT 3-7213578).

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