During May, the Turnover Index of the Capital Goods group decreased by 45.1 per cent over May last year. For the same period, this group registered an increase of 7.9 per cent in its Employment Index from 107.8 to 116.3 and an increase of 7.6 per cent in its Wages and Salaries Index from 128.4 in May 2003 to 138.2 in May this year.

The Consumer Durable Goods Turnover Index registered a decrease of 37 per cent from 150.8 in May 2003 to 95 in May. The Employment Index showed a decrease of 45.4 per cent for the same period under review. A fall of 31.5 per cent for the Wages and Salaries Index, from 107.5 in May 2003 to 73.6 this May was also registered by the group.

The Consumer Non-Durable Goods group registered a fall of 0.6 per cent in the Turnover Index, from May 2003 to May.

In the same period, the Employment Index decreased by 3.2 per cent, from 97.6 to 94.5. Its Wages and Salaries Index increased from 104.7 in May 2003 to 106.3 this May, an increase of 1.5 per cent.

During May this year, the Turnover Index of the Energy Goods group decreased by 2.9 per cent over May last year. Its Employment Index increased by 13.4 per cent, from 100.7 in May 2003 to 114.2 in May. For the same period there was an increase of 5.2 per cent in the Wages and Salaries Index.

The Intermediate Goods group Turnover Index increased by 31.5 per cent in May over May 2003. The Employment Index registered a fall of 5.7 per cent, from 101.6 in May 2003 to 95.8 in May. A fall of 3.7 per cent was also recorded in the Wages and Salaries Index from May 2003 to last May. The Total Industry Index registered an increase of 7.8 per cent in its Turnover Index, from 102.7 in May 2003 to 110.7 last May.

The Total Industry’s Employment and Wages and Salaries Indices decreased by 5.7 per cent and 0.6 per cent respectively in May this year when compared to May last year.

This data is to be considered provisional.