Average earnings indices (including bonuses)

Earnings index* Annual rise Whole economy Manufacturing Services Private sector Public sector

Feb 2005 (r) 119.8 5.2% 3.5% 5.8% 5.4% 4.6%

Mar (r) 120.0 3.7% 4.0% 3.8% 3.7% 4.1%

Apr (r) 120.7 4.2% 3.0% 4.5% 4.0% 5.0%

May 120.8 4.1% 1.9% 4.7% 3.3% 7.7%

June 121.1 4.0% 2.9% 4.3% 3.7% 4.3%

July 121.6 4.5% 3.4% 4.9% 4.6% 4.4%

Aug 121.9 4.0% 4.3% 4.0% 4.0% 4.3%

Sep 122.1 3.8% 4.6% 3.5% 3.7% 4.0%

Oct 122.3 3.1% 4.4% 2.8% 2.9% 4.0%

Nov 122.9 3.4% 4.4% 3.3% 3.1% 4.4%

Dec 124.0 4.2% 4.4% 3.9% 4.0% 4.7%

Jan 2006 124.6 3.0% 5.0% 2.9% 3.0% 4.2%

Feb (r) 125.8 5.0% 5.2% 5.1% 5.3% 4.1%

Mar (r) 125.3 4.4% 4.4% 4.5% 4.5% 4.4%

Apr (p) 125.1 3.7% 6.4% 3.2% 3.7% 3.0%

Headline rate** for Mar 4.4% 5.3% 4.3% 4.5% 3.8%

* 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 2006 is 4.0% (HM Treasury).