The average wage in all major sectors rose 4% in year-on-year nominal terms in September, according to the Census & Statistics Department.

After discounting the decrease in consumer prices the overall average wage rate grew 4.3% in real terms.

About 65% of companies recorded a rise in average wage rates compared with the same month last year, with 25% of the companies recording falls and the remaining 10% reporting virtually no change.

The index of payroll per person engaged for all major sectors increased 5.2% in nominal terms in the third quarter over a year earlier.

After netting out the effect of the increase in consumer prices the average payroll per person engaged increased by 0.5% in real terms.

For the real payroll indices, the year-on-year increases in the wholesale, retail and import-export trades, restaurants and hotels, and financing, insurance, real estate and business services in the third quarter were 0.3% and 1.5%.

Year-on-year decreases were observed in manufacturing, transport, storage and communications, and community, social and personal services, ranging from 0.6% to 2.2%.