Hong Kong's manufacturing sector recorded a gross output of $157.6 billion last year, up 0.8% from a year earlier, the Census & Statistics Department says.

The sector's gross surplus rose 8% to $18.7 billion. The value added of the manufacturing sector, which is a measure of its contribution to GDP, dipped 0.1% to $46.7 billion.

Within the manufacturing sector, the five largest broad industry groups in terms of value added were:

* paper products, printing and publishing ($11.6 billion);

* basic metals, fabricated metal products, machinery and equipment ($8.3 billion);

* food, beverages and tobacco ($6.8 billion);

* textiles, including knitting ($6.1 billion); and,

* wearing apparel, except knitwear and footwear ($4.5 billion).

They together accounted for 79.7% of the total value added of the whole sector.

Comparing 2004 with a year earlier, increases in value added were observed in the basic metals, fabricated metal products, machinery and equipment industry (4.5%); other miscellaneous manufacturing industries (3.6%); food, beverages and tobacco industry (3.4%); electrical and electronic products industry (2.3%); and textiles (including knitting) industry (0.5%).

However, value added in the chemical, rubber, plastic and non-metallic mineral products industry fell 11.9%. The value added in the wearing apparel, except knitwear and footwear industry and paper products, printing and publishing industry fell 3.7% and 1.9%.