Average earnings indices

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

Mar 04 (r) 116.2 5.1 3.0 5.0 4.9 4.6

Apr (r) 115.6 4.5 4.5 4.4 4.5 4.2

May (r) 115.9 4.1 4.5 3.8 4.2 4.3

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 05 121.9 4.0 3.1 4.0 3.9 4.7

Feb 120.6 5.7 3.7 6.3 5.9 4.6

Mar (r) 120.7 3.9 3.3 4.4 3.9 4.2

Apr (r) 120.5 4.3 3.6 4.5 4.2 4.9

May (p) 120.7 4.2 1.9 4.7 3.4 7.6

Headline rate** for Apr 4.1 2.9 4.5 3.8 5.6

* 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).