Average earnings indices

% annual rise Earnings index* Whole economy Manufacturing Services Private sector Public sector

Oct 03 (r) 113.1 3.6 3.2 3.7 3.3 4.6

Nov (r) 113.2 3.1 3.6 2.9 2.9 4.2

Dec (r) 113.5 3.5 3.3 3.5 3.2 4.3

Jan 04 118.3 7.6 3.5 8.9 8.5 4.1

Feb 114.5 3.9 3.5 3.7 3.8 4.4

Mar 115.3 4.3 3.6 4.7 4.3 4.4

Apr 115.6 4.5 4.7 4.3 4.6 4.1

May 115.8 4.1 4.3 3.7 4.0 4.6

June 116.1 4.1 4.1 4.0 4.0 4.5

July 116.3 3.3 3.8 2.9 3.2 3.7

Aug 116.9 4.1 3.3 4.0 4.0 4.5

Sep 117.3 3.9 3.1 3.9 3.8 4.4

Oct (r) 117.8 4.2 3.4 4.3 4.1 4.8

Nov (r) 118.2 4.4 2.9 4.5 4.4 4.7

Dec (p) 118.5 4.4 3.8 4.5 4.4 4.4

Headline rate* * for Dec 4.3 3.4 4.5 4.3 4.7

* For whole economy, 2000=100.

* * Average of earnings increases for latest three months compared to year earlier.

(r) revised. (p) provisional.

Source: National Statistics.

Average of average earnings forecasts for 2005 is 4.5% (HM Treasury).