XN000022-1986-04-11 — Page 11

FRIDAY, APRIL 11, 1986

10

DECEMBER JOB, PAYROLL FIGURES RELEASED

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THERE WERE 847 600 PERSONS ENGAGED IN THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR IN DECEMBER 1985, REPRESENTING A DECREASE OF 5.7 PER CENT OVER DECEMBER 1984, ACCORDING TO FIGURES RELEASED TODAY BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT.

IN DECEMBER 1985, EMPLOYMENT IN THE WHOLESALE AND RETAIL IMPORT AND EXPORT TRADES, AND RESTAURANTS AND HOTELS SECTOR, AT 600 400, WAS 4.6 PER CENT HIGHER THAN IN DECEMBER 1984.

EMPLOYMENT IN THE FINANCING, INSURANCE, REAL ESTATE AND BUSINESS SERVICES SECTOR, AT 180 900, WAS UP BY 6.7 PER CENT.

BUT EMPLOYMENT ON BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION SITES DROPPED BY 3.3 PER CENT COMPARED WITH DECEMBER 1984, MAINLY DUE TO THE COMPLETION OF THE MAJOR PART OF THE MTR ISLAND LINE.

A DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE STATISTICS FOR SELECTED MAJOR SECTORS OF THE ECONOMY IN DECEMBER 1985 WERE DERIVED FROM THE SURVEY OF EMPLOYMENT, VACANCIES AND PAYROLL CONDUCTED EVERY QUARTER BY THE DEPARTMENT, COVERING THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR, THE WHOLESALE AND RETAIL, IMPORT AND EXPORT TRADES, AND RESTAURANTS AND HOTELS SECTOR, AND THE FINANCING, INSURANCE, REAL ESTATE AND BUSINESS SERVICES SECTOR.

THERE IS A SEPARATE EMPLOYMENT SURVEY COVERING BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION SITES.

THE OVERALL EMPLOYMENT FIGURES FOR DECEMBER 1985 BY THE SE SELECTED MAJOR ECONOMIC SECTORS, TOGETHER WITH A COMPARISON WITH THE CORRESPONDING FIGURES FOR DECEMBER 1984 AND SEPTEMBER 1985, ARE AS FOLLOWS:

PERSONS ENGAGED (EMPLOYMENT) IN

PERCENTAGE CHANGE *

SELECTED MAJOR

SECTORS OF

THE ECONOMY

DEC. 84

SEPT 85

DEC. 85

DEC. 85

ON DEC. 84

DEC. 85

ON SEPT 85

MANUFACTURING

898 900

848 900

847 600

-5.7

-0.2

BUILDING AND

CONSTRUCTION

(MANUAL

WORKERS ON SITES ONLY)

68 600

64 400

66 300

-3.3

+2.9

/WHOLESALE AND