Average earnings indices

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

Jan 04 (r) 117.2 6.7 3.7 7.9 7.4 4.1

Feb (r) 114.2 3.6 3.9 3.6 3.5 4.4

Mar (r) 116.4 5.3 3.3 5.2 5.5 4.5

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 117.8 4.2 3.4 4.3 4.1 4.8

Nov 118.9 4.6 2.9 4.7 4.6 4.7

Dec 118.4 4.3 3.7 4.4 4.3 4.4

Jan 05 (r) 121.9 4.0 3.1 4.0 3.9 4.7

Feb (r) 120.7 5.7 3.8 6.4 6.0 4.6

Mar (p) 121.1 4.0 3.4 4.5 4.0 4.2

Headline rate ** for Mar 4.6 3.4 4.9 4.6 4.5

* 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).