XN000022-1994-08-19 — Page 5

FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 1994

ON THE OTHER HAND, SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN ORDERS WAS RECORDED IN THE WEARING APPAREL INDUSTRY (-18%). THE PRINTING AND PUBLISHING INDUSTRY ALSO SHOWED A DECREASE OF 9%.

THIS

COMPARED WITH MAY 1994, AND BEARING IN MIND THAT COMPARISON MAY BE AFFECTED BY SEASONAL FACTORS, THE VALUE OF MANUFACTURERS' ORDERS-ON-HAND IN JUNE 1994 DECREASED BY 3%.

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

300 MANUFACTURING FIRMS ENGAGING 50 OR MORE WORKERS.

MANUFACTURERS' ORDERS-ON-HAND REFER TO ORDERS AND PARTS OF ORDERS RECEIVED EARLIER BY MANUFACTURERS 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.

FROM JANUARY 1994, A NEW SERIES OF STATISTICS ON MANUFACTURERS' ORDERS-ON-HAND IN VALUE TERMS COMPILED IN THE FORM OF AN INDEX IS PRODUCED, REPLACING THE OLD SERIES WHICH WAS EXPRESSED IN TERMS OF NUMBER OF MONTHS 10 COMPLETE THE OUTSTANDING ORDERS.

MEASURE OF

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

THE

THAT

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT POINTED OUT THAT CAUTION SHOULD BE EXERCISED IN INTERPRETING THE MANUFACTURERS' ORDERS-ON-HAND FIGURES IN A SINGLE MONTH.

"THE TREND MOVEMENT OF THE SERIES AS

DISPLAYED OVER A WIDER

SPAN OF TIME POINTS SHOULD BE LOOKED AT," HE SAID.

THE SURVEY REPORT FOR JUNE 1994, AT $4.5 A COPY, IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR SALE AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE, GENERAL POST OFFICE BUILDING, CONNAUGHT PLACE, CENTRAL, AND AT THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT PUBLICATIONS SECTION, 19TH FLOOR, WANCHAI TOWER, 12 HARBOUR ROAD, WAN CHAI.

ENQUIRIES ABOUT THE SURVEY RESULTS MAY BE MADE OF THE INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION STATISTICS SECTION OF THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT ON 805 6441.

CHANGES

THE FOLLOWING TABLE SHOWS THE YEAR-ON-YEAR PERCENTAGE IN THE VALUE OF ORDERS-ON-HAND IN DIFFERENT MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES.

/PERCENTAGE CHANGES