Turnover, investment and employment in the manufacturing industry declined in the fourth quarter of last year while wages and salaries increased, according to a survey among manufacturing enterprises.

The National Statistics Office said that in the fourth quarter last year, turnover of the sampled manufacturing enterprises fell by 1.6 per cent to €506.9 million when compared to the same period in 2008.

The decline was mainly observed in the radio, television and communication equipment (-11.2 per cent), food and beverages (-15.5 per cent) and the chemicals and chemical products sectors (-8.6 per cent). This was partially mitigated by higher turnover in electrical machinery and apparatus as well as the publishing and printing sectors, by 66.1 and 12.9 per cent respectively.

Investment in the sampled enterprises in the fourth quarter of 2009 fell by 54.8 per cent to €16.8 million on account of a general decline in investment in the major manufacturing sectors.

At the end of December, employment in the sampled enterprises declined by 5.5 per cent to 16,016 employees over the corresponding period in 2008.

Lower employment levels were mainly recorded in the radio, television and communication equipment sector (-23.5 per cent), the food and beverages sector (-5.5 per cent) and the rubber and plastic products sector (-5.9 per cent).

On the other hand, employment in the other transport equipment sector rose by 40.4 per cent when compared to December 2008.

In the fourth quarter of 2009, €73 million was paid out in gross wages and salaries, an increase of 4.1 per cent over the corresponding period in 2008.