The average wage rate in Hong Kong for all the major sectors
surveyed, as measured by the wage index, rose by 2 percent in
nominal terms in December 2006 over a year earlier, according to
the figures released Tuesday by the Census and Statistics
Department of Hong Kong.
About 56 percent of the companies recorded increase in average
wage rates in December 2006 compared with a year ago. On the other
hand, 29 percent of the companies recorded decrease in average wage
rates over the same period. The remaining 15 percent reported
virtually no change in average wage rates.
After discounting the increase in consumer prices as measured by
the Consumer Price Index, the overall average wage rate for all the
major sectors surveyed rose by 0.1 percent in real terms in
December 2006 over a year earlier.
As for payroll, the index of payroll per person engaged for all
the major sectors surveyed increased by 4.0 percent in nominal
terms in the fourth quarter of 2006 over a year earlier.
After netting out the effect of the increase in consumer prices
as measured by the Composite Consumer Price Index, the average
payroll per person engaged increased by 1.8 percent in real terms
in the fourth quarter of 2006 over a year earlier.
The wage rate includes basic wages and other regular and
guaranteed allowances and bonuses. Payroll includes elements
covered by wage rate as well as other irregular payments such as
discretionary bonuses and overtime allowances.
(Xinhua News Agency March 28, 2007)