Turnover, employment, wage indices recover

TIRANA, July 9 – Short-term business statistics published by INSTAT for the first quarter of 2013 show the turnover index in industry, construction, trade and other services grew by 3.9 percent compared to the first quarter of 2012 but was down by 16.8 percent compared to the final quarter of 2012. Employment in these sectors rose by an average of 3.8 percent while salaries were up by 8.6 percent compared to the first quarter of last year.
The deflated turnover index in the industry sector rose by 12.5 percent year-on-year and was up by 1.2 percent compared to the final quarter of 2012. Employment in this sector which accounts for 10 percent of the GDP and is dominated by manufacturing rose by 6.9 percent year-on-year while salaries rose by 5.2 percent.
The construction sector, in crisis since 2007, registered a 2.3 percent increase in its turnover index, cut 1.7 percent of its staff and rose salaries by 4.9 percent.
In the wholesale trade, the turnover index dropped by 3.2 percent year-on-year. The number of employees grew by 13.31 percent and wages were raised by 21.2 percent compared to the first quarter of 2012.
Hotels saw their turnover index rise by 10.8 percent year on- year and drop by 35 percent compared to the final quarter of the year. Hotels increased their staff by 17.8 percent and increased wages by around 8 percent year-on-year.
In the transport sector, the turnover index in the first quarter of 2013 registered increases in the railway, maritime transport but dropped by 0.5 percent for air transport and by 9.7 percent for travel agencies.
The post-telecommunication sector had its turnover index increased by 0.3 percent year-on-year. The telecommunication sector cut 13 percent of its staff but rose wages by 19.5 percent.