During March 2006, the Turnover Index of the Capital Goods group decreased by 5.1 per cent over March 2005, the National Statistics Office said yesterday.

For the same period, this group registered an increase in its Employment Index of 5.5 per cent from 83.9 to 88.5 and a decrease in its Wages and Salaries Index of 0.6 per cent from 97.2 in March 2005 to 96.6 in March 2006. The Hours Worked Index increased by 4.8 per cent, in 2006 on 2005.

The Consumer Durable Goods group Turnover Index, registered a decrease of 1.2 per cent, from 80.7 in March 2005 to 79.7 in March 2006. The Employment Index decreased by 3.9 per cent for the same period under review. A decrease of 10.5 per cent for the Wages and Salaries Index, from 140.1 in March 2005 to 125.4 in March 2006 was also registered by this group. In March 2006, a decrease of 0.2 per cent was registered in the Hours Worked Index.

The Consumer Non-Durable Goods group within the Turnover Index registered a decrease of 3.7 per cent , from March 2005 to March 2006. In the same period, the Employment Index decreased by 6.8 per cent, from 90.3 to 84.2. The Wages and Salaries Index decreased by 5.5 per cent and the Hours Worked Index registered a fall of 7.7 per cent. During March 2006, the Turnover Index of the Energy group decreased by 59.3 per cent over March 2005.

Its Employment Index increased by 1.4 per cent, from 109.3 in March 2005 to 110.8 in March 2006. For the same group there was an increase of 7.5 per cent in the Wages and Salaries Index and an increase of 19.9 per cent in the Hours Worked Index.

The Turnover Index of the Intermediate Goods group increased by 18.1 per cent in March 2006 on March 2005. The Employment Index registered a fall of 4.1 per cent, from 114.8 in March 2005 to 110.1 in March 2006. Also, the Wages and Salaries Index decreased by 8 per cent, from 131.9 in March 2005 to 121.4 in March 2006.

The Hours Worked Index decreased from 119.2 in 2005 to 105.2 in 2006, a decrease of 11.7 per cent. The Total Industry Turnover Index decreased by 1.5 per cent from 103.4 in 2005 to 101.9 in 2006. The Total Industry’s Employment Index increased by 4.2 per cent, from 97.5 in March 2005 to 101.6 in March 2006. The Wages and Salaries Index increased by 9.7 per cent and the Hours Worked Index increased by 0.9 per cent.