The average wage rate, as measured by the wage index, grew 2.2% in nominal terms in September over the same month last year, the Census & Statistics Department says.

September saw 56% of companies record increases in average wage rates, while 30% saw falls. The rest remained almost unchanged. After discounting the increase in consumer prices, the overall average wage rate rose 0.3% in real terms.

The payroll index per worker rose 2.2% in nominal terms in the third quarter of 2006 over a year earlier. After netting out the effect of the increase in consumer prices, the average payroll per worker engaged fell 0.1% in real terms.

Nominal wage indices

For the nominal wage indices, year-on-year increases were observed in almost all the major sectors in September, ranging from 1.6% to 4.8%, while the figure for the transport services sector remained unchanged.

For the real wage indices, year-on-year increases were recorded in the manufacturing sector, the financing, insurance, real estate and business services sector, and the personal services sector, ranging from 1.7% to 3% in real terms. There were 0.2% and 1.8% year-on-year drops in the wholesale, retail and import-export trades, restaurants and hotels sector and the transport services sector.