During December 2005, the turnover index of the capital goods group increased by 6 per cent over December 2004, the National Statistics Office said yesterday.

For the same period, this group registered a decrease in its employment index of 11.3 per cent from 82.4 to 73.1 and an increase in its wages and salaries index of 11.7 per cent from 80.5 in December 2004 to 89.9 in December 2005.

The hours worked index decreased by 48 per cent, in 2005 from 2004.

The consumer durable goods group turnover index, registered a decrease of 8.4 per cent, from 89.6 in December 2004 to 82.1 in December 2005. The employment index decreased by 5.5 per cent for the same period under review. A fall of 5.4 per cent for the wages and salaries index, from 160.3 in December 2004 to 151.6 in December 2005 was also registered by this group. In December 2005, an increase of 37.9 per cent was registered in the hours worked index.

The consumer non-durable goods group registered a increase of 0.9 per cent in the turnover index, from December 2004 to December 2005. In the same period, the employment index increased by 3.4 per cent, from 87 to 90. The wages and salaries index decreased by 3.6 per cent and the hours worked index registered a rise of 3.7 per cent.

During December 2005, the turnover index of the energy group increased by 14.4 per cent over December 2004. Its employment index increased by 9 per cent, from 110.5 in December 2004 to 120.5 in October 2005. For the same group there was a decrease of 31.4 per cent in the wages and salaries index and a decrease of 24.8 per cent in the hours worked index.

The turnover index of the intermediate goods group decreased by 4.7 per cent in December 2005 from December 2004. The employment index registered a decrease of 7.9 per cent, from 117.2 in December 2004 to 107.9 in December 2005.

Also, the wages and salaries index decreased by 6 per cent, from 134.8 in December 2004 to 126.8 in December 2005. The hours worked index decreased from 111.9 in 2004 to 107.1 in 2005, a decrease of 4.3 per cent.

The total industry turnover index increased by 14.8 per cent from 114.3 to 131.2 the total industry’s employment index decreased by 1.5per cent, from 96.3 in December 2004 to 94.9 in December 2005. The wages and salaries index decreased by 14.8 per cent and the hours worked index decreased by 7.7 per cent