The average wage rate fell 0.3% in nominal terms in June over a year earlier, the Census & Statistics Department says. This was smaller than the 1.6% decrease in March.

About 43% of companies surveyed reported some decrease in average wage rates, attributable mainly to cuts in basic salaries and guaranteed allowances.

About 44% of the companies surveyed recorded some increase in average wage rates over the same period. This was partly due to the retrenchment of lower-paid clerical staff and operatives, leading to a rise in the proportion of relatively higher-paid workers.

The remaining 13% reported almost no change in average wage rates.

After discounting the decrease in consumer prices, the overall average wage rate decreased marginally by 0.5% in real terms.

The wage rate includes basic wages and other regular and guaranteed allowances and bonuses. The wage indices cover employees up to the supervisory level, not including managerial and professional employees.

Detailed breakdowns of the payroll and wage statistics are published in the Quarterly Report of Wage & Payroll Statistics, June 2004. The publication will be available soon, for $33 a copy, from the Government Publications Centres.

It can also be purchased online at the Statistical Bookstore. Softcopies of the publications purchased are available for immediate downloading, while hardcopies will be delivered by mail.