XN000022-1994-05-19 — Page 9

THURSDAY, MAY 19, 1.994

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MANUFACTURERS' ORDERS-ON-HAND IN MARCH 1994

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THE VALUE OF MANUFACTURERS' ORDERS-ON-HAND FOR LOCAL PRODUCTION IN MARCH DECREASED BY 3% OVER A YEAR EARLIER, ACCORDING TO THE PROVISIONAL RESULTS OF A MONTHLY SURVEY RELEASED TODAY (THURSDAY) BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT.

MANUFACTURERS' ORDERS-ON-HAND

REFER TO ORDERS AND PARTS OF ORDERS RECEIVED EARLIER BY THEM FOR LOCAL PRODUCTION WHICH REMAIN UNFILLED AS AT THE END OF THE REFERENCE MONTH.

ORDERS RECEIVED BY TRADERS NOT ENGAGED IN PRODUCTION ARE INCLUDED IF SUCH ORDERS ARE FURTHER PLACED TO MANUFACTURERS FOR PRODUCTION LOCALLY,

HOWEVER, ORDERS PLACED TO MANUFACTURING FIRMS FOR PRODUCTION IN CHINA AND OTHER PLACES OUTSIDE HONG KONG ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THIS SERIES OF ORDERS-ON-HAND STATISTICS.

COMPARING MARCH THIS YEAR WITH THE SAME MONTH LAST YEAR, SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE VALUE OF OUTSTANDING ORDERS WAS RECORDED IN THE ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS INDUSTRY (+15%).

MODERATE INCREASE IN ORDERS WAS RECORDED IN THE ELECTRICAL PRODUCTS INDUSTRY (+5%).

ON THE OTHER HAND,

SIGNIFICANT DECREASES

RECORDED IN THE WEARING APPAREL (-18%) AND PLASTIC INDUSTRIES.

IN ORDERS WERE PRODUCTS (-15%)

THE PRINTING AND PUBLISHING, TEXTILES AND FABRICATED METAL PRODUCTS INDUSTRIES ALSO RECORDED DECREASES IN ORDERS (-9%, -6% AND -4% RESPECTIVELY).

COMPARED WITH FEBRUARY 1994, AND BEARING IN MIND THAT THIS COMPARISON MAY BE AFFECTED BY SEASONAL FACTORS, THE VALUE OF MANUFACTURERS' ORDERS-ON-HAND INCREASED BY 9%.

THE MONTHLY SURVEY OF ORDERS-ON-HAND COVERS A SAMPLE OF ABOUT

300 MANUFACTURING FIRMS ENGAGING 50 OR MORE WORKERS.

SINCE JANUARY THIS YEAR, A NEW SERIES OF STATISTICS ON MANUFACTURERS * ORDERS-ON-HAND IN VALUE TERMS COMPILED IN THE FORM OF AN INDEX HAS BEEN PRODUCED, TO REPLACE THE OLD SERIES WHICH WAS EXPRESSED IN

TERMS OF NUMBER OF MONTHS TO COMPLETE THE OUTSTANDING ORDERS.

THE NEW SERIES PROVIDES A MORE DIRECT MEASURE OF THE OVERALL VALUE OF ORDERS IN THE LOCAL MANUFACTURING SECTOR THAT LEAD TO THE GENERATION OF LOCAL MANUFACTURING OUTPUT.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID CAUTION SHOULD BE EXERCISED IN INTERPRETING THE MANUFACTURERS' ORDERS-ON-HAND FIGURES IN A SINGLE

MONTH.

"INSTEAD, THE TREND MOVEMENT OF THE SERIES AS DISPLAYED OVER A WIDER SPAN OF TIME POINTS SHOULD BE LOOKED AT, HE SAID.

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/THE REPORT