TNAG-1483-FCO40-2037-Economic-situation-in-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 229

March 1986, manufacturing employment fell by 1%. Comparing March 1986 with March 1985, decreases in employment were recorded for a few major industries, including electrical machinery, apparatus, appliances and supplies (13%), fabricated metal products (7%) and plastic products (3%). Meanwhile, the number of vacancies in March 1986, at 25 900,

was 11% less than a year earlier, but was 728 more than in

December 1985. This increase reflects partly seasonal factors as manufacturing workers tend to change jobs immediately after the Chinese New Year, and partly improved prospects for domestic exports.

4.7

Employment on building and construction sites (including civil engineering sites), at 66 000 in March 1986, was 3% lower than a year earlier but was little changed from December 1985. A breakdown by sectors, however, shows varying developments. While employment on building sites increased by

5% in March 1986 over March 1985, employment on civil engineering sites fell by 30%, largely reflecting the winding down of activities on the MTR Island Line. For the building and construction sector as a whole, employment (covering both site workers and non-site workers) in the first quarter of 1986 increased by 5% over the same quarter last year

(11)

•

4.8

Employment in the services sectors increased by 4%

during the twelve months ending March 1986. Within the

services sectors, however, the employment situation varied. While employment in the financing, insurance, real estate and business services sector, and in the wholesale, retail and

import/export trades increased by 8% and 6% respectively, employment in restaurants and hotels fell by 1%. During the

/same

(11)

This figure is obtained from the General Household Survey. Apart from site workers, it also includes professional and administrative personnel engaged in the construction industry such as engineers, architects, surveyors and contract managers, as well as general clerical staff. In addition, it also counts those workers engaged in minor alterations and additions, repair, maintenance and interior decoration works on existing buildings.

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