XN000022-1986-05-20 — Page 5

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TUESDAY, MAY 20, 1986

MARCH ORDERS-ON-HAND, EMPLOYMENT, PAYROLL FIGURES OUT *******

THE AVERAGE VOLUME OF ORDERS-ON-HAND (IN TERMS OF MONTHS) IN THE 200 LARGEST FIRMS IN THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR INCREASED IN MARCH COMPARED WITH THE PREVIOUS MONTH, ACCORDING TO RESULTS OF A SURVEY RELEASED TODAY (TUESDAY) BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT.

INCREASES IN THE LEVEL OF ORDERS-ON-HAND WERE GENERALLY REPORTED BY MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES. THE SIGNIFICANT INCREASES WERE REPORTED BY THE MANUFACTURERS OF PLASTIC PRODUCTS, FABRICATED METAL PRODUCTS, WEARING APPAREL, AND ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS.

THE EMPLOYMENT SITUATION IN THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR AS A WHOLE WAS STABLE WHEN COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS MONTH. INCREASES IN EMPLOYMENT WERE RECORDED IN THE PLASTIC PRODUCTS AND FABRICATED METAL PRODUCTS INDUSTRIES WHILE A DECLINE WAS REPORTED BY THE MANUFACTURERS OF WEARING APPAREL.

DECREASES IN PAYROLL AND PER CAPITA EARNINGS WERE REPORTED BY MOST MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES DUE TO THE PAYMENT OF YEAR-END BONUSES AND DOUBLE PAY BY SOME FIRMS IN FEBRUARY.

HOWEVER, THE FOOD AND DRINKS INDUSTRY REPORTED INCREASES IN BOTH PAYROLL AND PER CAPITA EARNINGS AS A FEW FIRMS REVISED THE SALARIES OF THEIR EMPLOYEES IN MARCH.

IN THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR, THE NUMBER OF OPERATIVES DECLINED SLIGHTLY AS SOME PROJECTS WERE COMPLETED. BUT EMPLOYMENT IN THE SERVICES SECTORS REMAINED STABLE,

THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR AND MOST SERVICES SECTORS RECORDED DECLINES IN BOTH PAYROLL AND PER CAPITA EARNINGS DUE TO THE PAYMENT OF BONUSES AND DOUBLE PAY BY SOME FIRMS IN FEBRUARY. NO CHANGE WAS REPORTED BY BANKS.

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.

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