Average earnings indices

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

Aug 03 (r) 112.3 3.5 3.0 3.7 2.9 6.0

Sep (r) 112.8 3.7 3.5 3.8 3.3 5.5

Oct (r) 113.1 3.6 3.2 3.7 3.3 4.7

Nov 113.3 3.2 3.6 3.0 3.0 4.2

Dec 113.5 3.4 3.3 3.4 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 (r) 117.2 3.9 3.2 3.9 3.7 4.4

Oct (p) 117.8 4.2 3.4 4.3 4.0 4.8

Headline rate** for Oct 4.1 3.3 4.1 3.9 4.6

* 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 2004 is 4.5% (HM Treasury).