XN000022-1993-11-12 — Page 2

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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1993

BUSINESS SURVEY RESULTS FOR THIRD QUARTER

MANUFACTURERS REPORTED THAT BOTH THE GENERAL BUSINESS SITUATION AND CAPACITY UTILISATION IMPROVED IN THE THIRD QUARTER OF THIS YEAR.

LOOKING AHEAD, MANUFACTURERS GENERALLY EXPECT IMPROVEMENT IN BOTH ASPECTS IN THE FOLLOWING QUARTER.

FURTHER

IN LINE WITH PREVIOUS EXPECTATION, THE GENERAL BUSINESS SITUATION OF THE BANKING INDUSTRY IMPROVED SIGNIFICANTLY IN THE THIRD QUARTER OF 1993.

THE PROBLEMS OF HIGH STAFF TURNOVER AND SHORTAGE OF GENERAL STAFF, HOWEVER, EMERGED AGAIN IN THE QUARTER. LOOKING AHEAD, BROADLY THE SAME BUSINESS SITUATION IS EXPECTED.

THE MAJORITY OF FIRMS FROM THE REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT AND RELATED SERVICES REPORTED THAT THE GENERAL BUSINESS SITUATION REMAINED BROADLY THE SAME IN THE THIRD QUARTER OF 1993.

HIGH STAFF TURNOVER REMAINED THE BUSINESS PROBLEM MOST CITED. LOOKING AHEAD, IMPROVEMENT IN THE GENERAL BUSINESS SITUATION IS EXPECTED IN THE FOLLOWING QUARTER.

THESE ARE SOME OF THE MAJOR RESULTS OF A QUARTERLY BUSINESS SURVEY RELEASED TODAY (FRIDAY) BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT.

FOR INDIVIDUAL MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES, MANUFACTURERS FROM THE WEARING APPAREL INDUSTRY IN GENERAL REPORTED THAT BOTH THE GENERAL BUSINESS SITUATION AND CAPACITY UTILISATION REMAINED BROADLY THE SAME IN THE THIRD QUARTER OF 1993, WHICH SLIGHTLY FELL SHORT OF THEIR PREVIOUS EXPECTATION OF SOME MILD IMPROVEMENT.

PRICE COMPETITION AND HIGH WAGE RATES CONTINUED TO BE THE MAJOR BUSINESS PROBLEMS. LOOKING AHEAD, IMPROVEMENT IN THE GENERAL BUSINESS SITUATION IS EXPECTED IN THE FOLLOWING QUARTER,

MANUFACTURERS FROM THE PLASTICS INDUSTRY REPORTED SEASONAL IMPROVEMENT IN THE GENERAL BUSINESS SITUATION IN QUARTER OF 1993.

SIGNIFICANT

THE THIRD

SOMEWHAT

THE PROBLEM OF SHORTAGE OF SKILLED LABOUR ALLEVIATED IN TIE QUARTER THOUGH PRICE COMPETITION FROM LOCAL FIRMS REMAINED KEEN. LOOKING AHEAD, SEASONAL DETERIORATION IN THE BUSINESS SITUATION IS EXPECTED.

IN LINK WITH PREVIOUS EXPECTATION, MANUFACTURERS FROM THE ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY REPORTED IMPROVEMENT IN THE GENERAL BUSINESS SITUATION AND CAPACITY UTILISATION IN THE THIRD QUARTER OF 1993.

THE PROBLEM OF SHORTAGE OF GENERAL LABOUR FURTHER ALLEVIATED BUT PRICE COMPETITION REMAINED KERN AND THE PROBLEM OF HIGH MATERIAL PRICES INTENSIFIED IN THE QUARTER. LOOKING AHEAD, BROADLY THE SAME BUSINESS SITUATION IS EXPECTED.

THE GENERAL BUSINESS SITUATION OF THE FABRICATED METAL PRODUCTS INDUSTRY IMPROVED IN THE THIRD QUARTER OF 1993, THOUGH THE IMPROVEMENT WAS LOWER THAN WHAT WAS EXPECTED BEFORE.

/INSUFFICIENT BUSINESS