XN000022-1985-02-19 — Page 3

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1985

• 2.

DECEMBER ORDERS-ON-HAND

EMPLOYMENT, PAYROLL FIGURES RELEASED

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THE AVERAGE VOLUME OF ORDERS-ON-HAND (IN TERMS OF MONTHS) IN THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR DECLINED SLIGHTLY IN DECEMBER 1984 COMPARED WITH THE PREVIOUS MONTH'S VOLUME, ACCORDING TO SURVEY RESULTS RELEASED TODAY BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT.

WHILE SOME INCREASES IN ORDERS-ON-HAND WERE REPORTED IN THE PLASTIC PRODUCTS AND FABRICATED METAL PRODUCTS INDUSTRIES, DECREASES WERE RECORDED IN THE WEARING APPAREL AND ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS INDUSTRIES. THE TEXTILE INDUSTRY RECORDED NO CHANGE IN THE VOLUME OF ORDERS.

TOTAL EMPLOYMENT IN THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR DECLINED SLIGHTLY IN DECEMBER 1984 COMPARED WITH THE PREVIOUS MONTH'S EMPLOYMENT. AMONG INDIVIDUAL INDUSTRIES, DECREASES WERE REPORTED IN THE FABRICATED METAL PRODUCTS AND ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS INDUSTRIES. MOST OTHER INDUSTRIES RECORDED LITTLE CHANGE IN THE LEVEL OF EMPLOYMENT.

INCREASES IN PAYROLL AND IN PER CAPITA EARNINGS WERE REPORTED BY MOST MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES, DUE TO THE PAYMENT OF YEAR-END BONUSES AND DOUBLE PAY. THE NOTABLE EXCEPTION WAS THE PLASTIC PRODUCTS INDUSTRY, WHICH SHOWED A DECLINE IN PAYROLL AND PER CAPITA EARNINGS DUE TO LESS OVERTIME WORKED.

EMPLOYMENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND SERVICES SECTORS REMAINED STABLE. WHILE PAYROLL AND PER CAPITA EARNINGS IN THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR ROSE MODERATELY, THOSE IN THE SERVICES SECTORS SHOWED SIGNIFICANT INCREASE. THOSE INCREASES WERE DUE TO THE PAYMENT OF YEAR-END BONUSES AND OVERTIME ALLOWANCES.

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

THE SURVEY COVERED A PANEL OF THE 200 LARGEST MANUFACTURING COMPANIES AND THE 50 LARGEST COMPANIES IN 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 1984 WILL SOON BE ON SALE AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS SALES CENTRE, GENERAL POST OFFICE BUILDING, AND THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT PUBLICATIONS SALES COUNTER, KAI TAK COMMERCIAL BUILDING, AT $1.50 PER COPY.

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