Wendy Zhang/ Shanghai Daily news

Shanghai's white-collar employees might be disappointed to know that their average pay increases are expected to reach only about 251 yuan (US$30) a month, according to www.51job.com, as cited in yesterday's Wenhui Daily reported.
The country's leading online headhunter conducted a survey of more than 200 job postings from 17 industries of 17 Chinese provinces and cities.
White-collar workers at Hangzhou are expected to enjoy the biggest annual pay rises of 3,539 yuan next year and those from Shanghai rank third with 3,271 yuan next year, or 251 yuan per month, when considered with the one month salary bonus.
However, Shanghai workers are only 12th in their increases.
Dalian workers are expected to enjoy the largest ratio of pay rises next year, at 7.34 percent, while those from Shenzhen will have the smallest ratio of pay increases.
Next year the five industries with the highest annual incomes in Shanghai will be these: financial (73,029 yuan), consulting (71,819 yuan), information technology and website (70,022 yuan), fast-consumer product (65,671 yuan) and chemical energy sources sectors (65,539 yuan).
Workers from the local real estate sector and property agencies are predicted to have annual salaries of more than 60,000 yuan next year, indicating that the real estate industry will continue to flourish next year.
White-collar employees from architecture, designing and home-furnishing industries are expected to enjoy pay rises of more than 11.4 percent to 56,000-plus yuan next year, followed by those from the durable consumer good industry (10.96 percent).
The survey indicated that Chinese female workers would have incomes 30 percent lower than their male counterparts next year. Shanghai white-collar employees will have an average yearly salary of 60,445 yuan next year, with female workers' about 25 percent lower. However, female workers' salaries will increase faster than men's.