The Wages and Salaries Index increased from 110.3 in Q1 2003 to 126.9 in Q1 2004, an increase of 15 per cent.

The Turnover Index of the Consumer Durable Goods group increased by 63.6 per cent in quarter 1 this year when compared to the same quarter last year. Its Employment Index decreased from 136.3 in 2003 to 97.3 in 2004, a fall of 28.6 per cent. In the same period, the Wages and Salaries Index fell by 26.8 per cent to 101 in Q1 2004 from 138 in the first quarter of 2003.

In the first quarter 2004, the Turnover Index of the Consumer Non-Durable Goods group decreased by 0.8 per cent from 93.3 last year to 92.6 this year. The Employment Index fell by 2.6 per cent from 99.1 in the first quarter last year to 96.5 in quarter 1 this year. The Wages and Salaries Index decreased from 109 in 2003 to 102.7 in 2004, a fall of 5.8 per cent.

The Energy group Turnover Index increased from 101.5 last year to 111.9 this year, an increase of 10.2 per cent. The Employment Index also recorded an increase of 16.6 per cent, from 98.6 in 2003 to 115 in 2004. The Wages and Salaries Index increased by 77.8 per cent to 175.5 from 98.7 in the first quarter last year.

The Intermediate Goods category showed a 4.2 per cent decrease in its Turnover Index, from 100.4 in 2003 to 96.2 this year. Its Employment Index fell by 5.3 per cent to 96.2 in 2004 from 101.6 last year. In the period under review, the Wages and Salaries Index decreased by 2.3 per cent, to 106 from 103.6 in the first quarter of 2003.

The Total Industry Turnover Index and the Employment Index both registered a fall of 1.7 from Q1 in 2003 to Q1 in 2004. The Wages and Salaries Index recorded an increase of 5.7 per cent, from 109.7 in 2003 to 115.9 in 2004.