XN000022-1984-02-22 — Page 2

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1984

MONTHLY SURVEY OF EMPLOYMENT, PAYROLL AND

ORDERS-ON-HAND FOR DECEMBER 1983

* * * *

THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT TODAY RELEASED STATISTICS FROM THE MONTHLY SURVEY OF EMPLOYMENT, PAYROLL AND ORDERS-ON-HAND FOR DECEMBER 1983.

ACCORDING TO THE SURVEY, THE AVERAGE VOLUME OF ORDERS-ON-HAND IN TERMS OF MONTHS) IN ALL MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES INCREASED IN DECEMBER 1983 COMPARED WITH THE PREVIOUS MONTH. INCREASES WERE RECORDED FOR ALL MAJOR INDUSTRIES. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT INCREASE WAS REPORTED BY MANUFACTURERS IN THE TEXTILES INDUSTRY, FOLLOWED BY THE WEARING APPAREL, PLASTIC PRODUCTS AND FABRICATED METAL PRODUCTS INDUSTRIES. THE OTHER INDUSTRIES ALSO REPORTED SMALL

INCREASES.

THE LEVEL OF EMPLOYMENT IN THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR WAS STABLE FOR MOST INDUSTRIES. THERE WAS A SLIGHT INCREASE IN EMPLOYMENT IN THE FABRICATED METAL PRODUCTS INDUSTRY WHILE THE ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS INDUSTRY RECORDED A SLIGHT DECLINE. EMPLOYMENT IN THE SERVICES SECTOR REMAINED UNCHANGED. IN THE CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES SURVEYED, THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES CONTINUED TO FALL ON COMPLETION OF SOME PROJECTS.

PAYROLL AND PER CAPITA EARNINGS INCREASED IN THE MANUFACTURING, CONSTRUCTION AND SERVICES SECTORS DUE TO THE PAYMENT OF YEAR-END BONUS AND DOUBLE PAY. THE BANKS SURVEYED REPORTED THE MOST SIGNIFICANT INCREASE.

THE PERCENTAGE CHANGES IN ORDERS-ON-HAND, EMPLOYMENT AND PER CAPITA EARNINGS FOR THE LAST THREE MONTHS ARE SHOWN IN THE ACCOMPANYING TABLES.

WHEN RELEASING THE SURVEY RESULTS, THE DEPARTMENT POINTED OUT THAT THE SURVEY COVERED A PANEL OF THE 200 LARGEST MANUFACTURING COMPANIES AND THE 50 LARGEST COMPANIES ON 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 RESULTS ON MAGNITUDE OF CHANGE MIGHT NOT REFLECT THE EXPERIENCE OF THE ECONOMY AS A WHOLE. ALTHOUGH THEY SHOULD GIVE 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 DECEMBER 1983 IS NOW ON SALE AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE, GENERAL POST OFFICE, AT $1.5 PER COPY. ENQUIRIES ON THE SURVEY RESULTS MAY BE MADE TO THE INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION STATISTICS SECTION OF THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT (AT 3-7212832).

/A. ORDERS-ON-HAND IN