XN000022-1991-02-07 — Page 6

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1991

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INDEX OF INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION FOR THIRD QUARTER 1990

THE INDEX OF INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION FOR THE THIRD QUARTER OF 1990, AT 132, WAS 2 POINTS OR 1.5 PER CENT LOWER THAN THAT FOR THE SAME PERIOD OF 1989, ACCORDING TO STATISTICS RELEASED TODAY (THURSDAY) BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT.

THIS COMPARED WITH THE YEAR-ON-YEAR DECLINE OF 3.7 PER CENT AND 1.6 PER CENT IN THE FIRST QUARTER AND THE SECOND QUARTER OF 1990 RESPECTIVELY. THE AVERAGE GROWTH RATE FOR 1989 OVER 1988 WAS 0.8 PER

CENT.

COMPARED WITH THE SECOND QUARTER OF 1990, AND BEARING IN MIND THE POSSIBLE INFLUENCE OF SEASONAL FACTORS, THE INDEX SHOWRD AN INCREASE OF 11 POINTS OR 9.1 PER CENT.

AMONG THE RIGHT BROAD INDUSTRY GROUPS, THREE RECORDED INCREASES IN PRODUCTION IN THE THIRD QUARTER OF 1990 OVER THE SAME QUARTER OF 1989. THEY WERE FOOD, BEVERAGES AND TOBACCO (+9.3 PER CENT); PAPER PRODUCTS AND PRINTING (+3.6 PER CENT); AND ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS, PROFESSIONAL EQUIPMENT AND OPTICAL GOODS (+2.7 PER CENT).

ON THE OTHER HAND, THE REMAINING BROAD INDUSTRY GROUPS SHOWED DECREASES IN PRODUCTION IN THE THIRD QUARTER OF 1990 COMPARED WITH THE SAME QUARTER OF 1989, WITH THE LARGEST PERCENTAGE DECREASES RECORDED IN THE FOLLOWING GROUPS BASIC METALS, FABRICATED METAL PRODUCTS AND NON-ELECTRICAL MACHINERY (-10.3 PER CENT); AND CHEMICALS, RUBBER, PLASTIC AND NON-METALLIC MINERAL PRODUCTS (-8.7 PER CENT).

COMPARINO THE INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION IN THE THIRD QUARTER OF 1990 WITH THAT IN THE PRECEDING QUARTER, BUT BEARING IN MIND THAT THIS COMPARISON IS MUCH AFFECTED BY SEASONAL FACTORS, MOST BROAD INDUSTRY GROUPS SHOWED INCREASES IN PRODUCTION.

THE LARGEST PERCENTAGE INCREASES IN PRODUCTION WERE RECORDED IN THE FOLLOWING BROAD INDUSTRY GROUPS: FOOD, BEVERAGES AND TOBACCO (+15.9 PER CENT); WEARING APPAREL, EXCEPT KNITWEAR AND FOOTWEAR (+14.3 PER CENT); TEXTILES (INCLUDING KNITTING) (+13.9 PER CENT); AND PAPER PRODUCTS AND PRINTING (+9.9 PER CENT).

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RELEASING THESE FIGURES, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT EXPLAINED THAT THE INDEX OF INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION WAS PRIMARILY INTENDED TO REFLECT THE CHANGES OVER TIME OF LOCAL MANUFACTURING OUTPUT IN REAL TERMS.

IN OTHER WORDS, THE VOLUME OF LOCAL PRODUCTION WAS MEASURED AFTER DISCOUNTING THE EFFECT OF PRICE CHANGES.

MORE DETAILED INFORMATION COULD BE FOUND IN THE "REPORT ON THE QUARTERLY INDEX OF INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION, THIRD QUARTER 1990", WHICH IS ON SALE AT $3 A COPY AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE, GROUND FLOOR, GPO BUILDING, 2 CONNAUGHT PLACE, CENTRAL OR AT THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT PUBLICATIONS SALES COUNTER, 19TH FLOOR, WANCHAI TOWER I, 12 HARBOUR ROAD, WAN CHAI. REGULAR SUBSCRIPTION MIGHT ALSO BE ARRANGED.

FURTHER ENQUIRIES ABOUT THE SURVEY MIGHT BE DIRECTED TO THE INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH SECTION OF THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT ON TEL. 839 3238.

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