ANALYSIS BY INDUSTRY


FEATURED SERIES

The following graphs and commentary refer to seasonally adjusted and trend estimates of: sales of goods and services ('Sales') and inventories ('Inv.') in volume terms; and wages and salaries ('Wages') and company gross operating profits ('CGOP') in current price terms.

TOTAL ALL INDUSTRIES

In current price terms, the trend estimate for company gross operating profits was relatively unchanged (-0.1%) in the September quarter 2007. The seasonally adjusted estimate fell by 2.1%, following nine quarters of growth. In current price terms, the trend estimate for wages and salaries increased 1.9% this quarter. The seasonally adjusted estimate increased by 1.5% following three quarters of even stronger growth.

In volume terms, the trend estimate for total inventories increased 1.0% this quarter. The seasonally adjusted estimate increased 1.3% this quarter, the fourth consecutive quarter of growth.

MINING

In current prices, the trend estimate for company gross operating profits declined by 2.7%, the fifth consecutive fall. The seasonally adjusted estimate fell by 11.6%, following growth of 6.3% in the previous quarter. In current price terms, the trend estimate for wages and salaries increased 4.1% this quarter. The seasonally adjusted estimate increased 2.8%, following an increase of 6.6% in the previous quarter.

In volume terms, the trend estimate for sales of goods and services increased 1.5% this quarter. The seasonally adjusted estimate decreased 0.5%, following a rise of 4.6% the previous quarter. In volume terms, the trend estimate for inventories increased 6.9% this quarter. The seasonally adjusted estimate increased 8.6% this quarter following strong growth of 6.2% in each of the previous two quarters.

MANUFACTURING

In current price terms, the trend estimate for company gross operating profits decreased 1.6% this quarter. The seasonally adjusted estimate fell by 4.5% this quarter following six quarters of growth. In current price terms, the trend estimate for wages and salaries increased by 0.7%. The seasonally adjusted estimate increased 0.2% this quarter, the smallest increase since September quarter 2003.

In volume terms, the trend estimate for sales of goods and services decreased 0.2% this quarter. The seasonally adjusted estimate was virtually unchanged following a small fall of 0.4% in the previous quarter. In volume terms, the trend estimate for inventories increased 0.5% this quarter. The seasonally adjusted estimate had a small fall of 0.1%, following three quarters of moderate growth.

CONSTRUCTION

In current prices, the trend estimate for company gross operating profits increased 4.2% this quarter, the fourth consecutive quarter of strong growth. The seasonally adjusted estimate increased 3.6% following a strong increase of 17.2% in the previous quarter. The trend estimate for wages and salaries increased 1.1% this quarter. The seasonally adjusted estimate decreased 0.3% following increases in the previous ten quarters.

In volume terms, the trend estimate for sales of goods and services increased 2.4% this quarter. The seasonally adjusted estimate increased 3.6% this quarter, the fourth consecutive quarter of growth.

WHOLESALE TRADE

In current prices, the trend estimate for company gross operating profits increased 1.4% this quarter. The seasonally adjusted estimate increased 1.3%, following an increase of 3.4% in the previous quarter. In current prices, the trend estimate for wages and salaries increased 1.3% this quarter. The seasonally adjusted estimate had a small fall of 0.2%, following two quarters of increase.

In volume terms, the trend estimate for sales of goods and services was relatively unchanged (down 0.1%) this quarter. The seasonally adjusted estimate increased 0.4%, following a fall of 1.2% in the previous quarter. In volume terms, the trend estimate for inventories increased by 1.2% this quarter. The seasonally adjusted estimate increased 1.8% following a 0.4% rise in the June quarter.

RETAIL TRADE

In current prices, the trend estimate for company gross operating profits increased 3.2% this quarter. The seasonally adjusted estimate had strong growth of 6.4%, following an increase of 2.8% in the previous quarter. In current price terms, the trend estimate for wages and salaries increased 1.6% this quarter. The seasonally adjusted estimate increased 1.2%, the sixth consecutive rise.

In volume terms, the trend estimate for sales of goods and services increased 0.7% this quarter. The seasonally adjusted estimate increased 0.9% following almost no change in the previous quarter. In volume terms, the trend estimate for inventories increased by 0.1% this quarter. The seasonally adjusted estimate increased by 0.7%, following a fall of 0.9% in the previous quarter.

TRANSPORT AND STORAGE

In current prices, the trend estimate for company gross operating profits increased 1.3% this quarter. The seasonally adjusted estimate increased by 13.7% following a strong fall of 12.3% in the previous quarter. In current price terms, the trend estimate for wages and salaries increased 3.7% this quarter. The seasonally adjusted estimate increased 4.1%, continuing on from the strong increase in the previous quarter.

In volume terms, the trend estimate for sales of goods and services increased 1.3% this quarter. The seasonally adjusted estimate increased 0.5%, the slowest growth rate since a fall in December quarter 2005.

PROPERTY AND BUSINESS SERVICES

In current prices, the trend estimate for company gross operating profits increased 0.8% this quarter. The seasonally adjusted estimate decreased 0.4%, following five quarters of growth. In current price terms, the trend estimate for wages and salaries increased 2.6% this quarter. The seasonally adjusted estimate increased 3.1%, following a 2.5% increase in the previous quarter.

In volume terms, the trend estimate for sales of goods and services increased 1.1% this quarter. The seasonally adjusted estimate increased by 0.5%, the eighth consecutive quarter of growth.