XN000022-1987-12-20 — Page 3

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SUNDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1987

COMPARING THE PAYROLL IN OCTOBER 1987 WITH THAT IN OCTOBER 1986, INCREASES WERE RECORDED IN MOST INDUSTRIES SURVEYED EXCEPT THE WEARING APPAREL AND PLASTIC PRODUCTS INDUSTRIES. THE FORMER SHOWED NO CHANGE WHILE THE LATTER RECORDED A DROP. AS FOR PER CAPITA EARNINGS, ALL INDUSTRIES SURVEYED RECORDED SIGNIFICANT INCREASES OVER OCTOBER 1986.

IN THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR, EMPLOYMENT, PAYROLL AND PER CAPITA EARNINGS IN OCTOBER 1987 REMAINED AT ABOUT THE SAME LEVEL AS IN SEPTEMBER 1987. HOWEVER, THERE WERE SIGNIFICANT INCREASES WHEN COMPARED WITH OCTOBER 1986, PARTICULARLY IN RESPECT OF PAYROLL AND PER CAPITA EARNINGS.

IN THE SERVICES SECTORS, THE OVERALL LEVEL OF EMPLOYMENT IN OCTOBER 1987 WAS UNCHANGED OVER SEPTEMBER 1987 BUT PAYROLL AND PER CAPITA EARNINGS DECREASED. COMPARED WITH OCTOBER 1986, EMPLOYMENT SHOWED A SLIGHT INCREASE WHILE PAYROLL AND PER CAPITA EARNINGS RECORDED SIGNIFICANT INCREASES.

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AMONG THE VARIOUS SERVICES SECTORS, THE PUBLIC UTILITY COMPANIES REPORTED MODERATE DECREASES IN PAYROLL AND PER CAPITA EARNINGS COMPARED WITH SEPTEMBER 1987. WHEREAS BANKS AND HOTELS REPORTED LIGHT INCREASES OR NO CHANGE. COMPARED WITH OCTOBER 1986, HOTELS RECORDED THE LARGEST INCREASES IN PAYROLL AND PER CAPITA EARNINGS.

THE PERCENTAGE CHANGES IN ORDERS-ON-HAND, EMPLOYMENT AND PER CAPITA EARNINGS ARE SHOWN IN TABLES 1 AND 2 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 SIZES IN SEPTEMBER 1986.

AS THE SAMPLE WAS NOT DRAWN ON A RANDOM BASIS, THE DEPARTMENT CAUTIONED THAT THE MAGNITUDE OF CHANGE INDICATED BY THE SURVEY 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 DEVELOPMENTS IN THE ECONOMY IN THE SHORT TERM.

THE SURVEY REPORT FOR OCTOBER 1987 IS NOW ON SALE AT $1.50 PER COPY AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS SALES CENTRE, GENERAL POST OFFICE BUILDING AND AT THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT PUBLICATIONS SALES COUNTER, 19TH FLOOR, WANCHAI TOWER 1, 12 HARBOUR ROAD, WAN CHAI.

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

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