Average earnings indices

Whole economy % annual rise (2000=100) % annual rise Manufacturing Services Private sector Public sector

Mar 03 (r) 110.9 3.9 5.7 3.6 3.6 5.0

Apr (r) 110.7 2.5 2.6 2.6 1.8 5.2

May (r) 11143 3.2 3.2 3.4 2.9 4.6

June 111.6 3.2 3.0 3.3 2.6 5.4

July 112.3 3.6 3.2 3.9 3.2 5.3

Aug 112.4 3.5 2.9 3.8 2.9 6.0

Sep 112.8 3.7 3.5 3.9 3.2 5.5

Oct 113.0 3.6 3.2 3.8 3.4 4.7

Nov 113.7 3.3 3.5 3.2 3.1 4.2

Dec 113.2 3.4 3.4 3.3 3.1 4.3

Jan 04 117.1 7.3 3.6 8.7 8.1 4.1

Feb 114.3 3.9 3.6 3.7 3.9 4.4

Mar (r) 115.7 4.3 3.2 4.8 4.4 4.3

Apr (r) 115.8 4.6 4.8 4.4 4.7 4.1

May (p) 116.0 4.1 4.3 3.7 4.0 4.5

Headline rate1 for May 4.3 4.1 4.3 4.4 4.3

1 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 2004 is 4.4% (HM Treasury).