The average summer bonus paid out to employees at the nation's top 276 companies rose 2.86 percent in 2000 from the previous year to 783,113 yen, according to a recent survey compiled by the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry.

This marks the first such increase in three years, the survey says.

Increased profitability in some industrial sectors during the latter half of 2000 appears to be behind the upturn.

Manufacturers of petroleum products awarded their employees the highest year-on-year increase in percentage terms, at 12.44 percent, followed by electronics goods makers at 11.02 percent.

Manufacturers of foodstuffs and tobacco products registered the third-largest hike, at 8.90 percent.

These figures contrast sharply with those of automakers, construction companies and chemical firms. The average bonus paid out by automakers shrank 9.05 percent, while that paid out by construction firms fell 6.95 percent, and that of chemical firms decreased 4.80 percent.

On a value basis, however, construction companies awarded the largest average bonus, at 886,018 yen, followed by electric utilities at 878,074 yen. Newspaper firms and printing houses paid out an average 873,515 yen.

Employees at automakers meanwhile were awarded an average 468,846 yen, while those at retailers and wholesalers received 581,317 yen.

The survey covered 276 firms that are listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange and the Osaka Securities Exchange and are capitalized at more than 2 billion yen.

The firms included in the survey all employ more than 1,000 people.