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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1987

IN THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR, THE LEVEL OF EMPLOYMENT REMAINED STABLE WHEN COMPARED WITH THE PREVIOUS MONTH. OVER THE SAME PERIOD, THERE WERE INCREASES IN BOTH PAYROLL AND PER CAPITA EARNINGS DUE TO OVERTIME PAYMENTS AND BONUSES. COMPARED WITH DECEMBER 1985, EMPLOYMENT SHOWED A MODERATE INCREASE, WHILE PAYROLL AND PER CAPITA EARNINGS INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY.

IN THE SERVICES SECTORS, THE LEVEL OF EMPLOYMENT WAS SIMILAR TO THAT IN THE PREVIOUS MONTH WHILE SIGNIFICANT INCREASES WERE RECORDED FOR BOTH PAYROLL AND PER CAPITA EARNINGS DUE TO THE PAYMENT OF YEAR-END BONUSES.

COMPARED WITH DECEMBER 1985, THE SERVICES SECTORS TAKEN TOGETHER EXPERIENCED AN INCREASE IN EMPLOYMENT, PAYROLL AND PER CAPITA EARNINGS. HOWEVER, A SLIGHT DECLINE IN EMPLOYMENT WAS RECORDED IN HOTELS AND IN PUBLIC UTILITIES.

THE PERCENTAGE CHANGES IN ORDERS-ON-HAND, EMPLOYMENT AND PER CAPITA EARNINGS ARE SHOWN IN TABLES WHICH HAVE BEEN SENT BY FACSIMILE NETWORK AND ALSO BOXED FOR COLLECTION.

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 THE MAGNITUDE OF CHANGE MIGHT NOT REFLECT THE EXPERIENCE OF THE ECONOMY AS A WHOLE. NEVERTHELESS THESE RESULTS ARE EXPECTED TO PROVIDE A USEFUL INDICATION OF THE DIRECTION OF CHANGE FOR A QUICK ASSESSMENT OF DEVELOPMENT IN THE ECONOMY IN THE SHORT TERM.

THE SURVEY REPORT FOR DECEMBER 1986 IS ON SALE AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS SALES CENTRE, GENERAL POST OFFICE BUILDING, CONNAUGHT PLACE. AND AT THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT PUBLICATIONS SALES COUNTER, KAI TAK COMMERCIAL BUILDING, AT $1.50 PER COPY.

ENQUIRIES ABOUT THE SURVEY RESULTS MAY BE MADE TO THE INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION STATISTICS SECTION OF THE DEPARTMENT ON 5-8234820.

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/A. Orders-on-hand