XN000022-1984-11-14 — Page 8

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1984

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SECOND QUARTER INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION INDEX RELEASED

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THE INDEX OF INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION IN THE SECOND QUARTER OF 1984, AT 130.5, WAS 14.5 POINTS OR 12.5 PER CENT HIGHER THAN IN THE SAME QUARTER OF LAST YEAR, ACCORDING TO FIGURES RELEASED TODAY BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT.

COMPARED WITH THE FIRST QUARTER OF THIS YEAR, THERE WAS AN INCREASE OF 19.6 PER CENT, THIS IS PARTLY ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE FACT THAT FIRST QUARTER HAD FEWER WORKING DAYS BECAUSE OF THE LUNAR NEW YEAR.

INDUSTRIES WITH SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN PRODUCTION OVER THE SECOND QUARTER OF LAST YEAR INCLUDED FABRICATED METAL PRODUCTS, TOBACCO, PAPER AND PAPER PRODUCTS, PLASTIC PRODUCTS, TRANSPORT EQUIPMENT, CONSUMER ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS, BEVERAGES, RUBBER PRODUCTS, AND NEWSPAPER PRINTING.

HOWEVER. SEVERAL INDUSTRIES REPORTED DECLINES IN PRODUCTION OVER THE SAME PERIOD. THESE INCLUDED NON-ELECTRICAL MACHINERY, PROFESSIONAL AND SCIENTIFIC EQUIPMENT, PHOTOGRAPHIC AND OPTICAL GOODS, WATCHES AND CLOCKS, NON-METALLIC MINERAL PRODUCTS, CHEMICALS AND CHEMICAL PRODUCTS, BASIC METALS, AND ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC PARTS, ACCESSORIES AND MACHINERY.

A COMPARISON OF FIGURES FOR THE SECOND QUARTER OF THIS YEAR WITH THOSE OF THE FIRST QUARTER, SHOWS A BIG DECLINE IN TOBACCO PRODUCTION, MAINLY DUE TO SEASONAL FACTORS. THE LEVEL OF PRODUCTION IN THE FIRST QUARTER TENDED TO BE HIGHER THAN IN THE SECOND QUARTER BECAUSE OF THE NEED TO MEET INCREASED PURCHASES BY LOCAL RESIDENTS DURING THE LUNAR NEW YEAR. WHEN COMPARED WITH THE SAME QUARTER LAST YEAR, HOWEVER, THE PRODUCTION OF THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY IN THE SECOND QUARTER OF 1984 WAS UP BY 47.4 PER CENT.

TWO TABLES ON THE QUARTERLY INDEXES OF INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION FOR THE SECOND QUARTER OF 1984 WILL BE SENT BY FACSIMILE NETWORK AND BOXED SEPARATELY. ONE IS A SUMMARY TABLE FOR BROAD INDUSTRY GROUPS, WHILE THE OTHER GIVES MORE DETAILED INDUSTRY BREAKDOWNS.

MORE DETAILED INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND IN THE REPORT ON THE QUARTERLY INDEX OF INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION, SECOND QUARTER 1984+.

THE PUBLICATION IS ON SALE AT $2 A COPY AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS SALES CENTRE AT G/F, GENERAL POST OFFICE BUILDING, CONNAUGHT PLACE, OR AT THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT PUBLICATION SALES COUNTER, KAI TAK COMMERCIAL BUILDING, 317 DES VOEUX ROAD CENTRAL. REGULAR SUBSCRIPTION MAY ALSO BE ARRANGED.

FURTHER ENQUIRIES ABOUT THE SURVEY MAY BE DIRECTED TO THE INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH SECTION OF CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT AT TELEPHONE NUMBER 3-7224504.

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