The Secretary for Education, Mr Kevin Yeung, today (May 14) officiated at the Qualifications Framework (QF) Partnerships Commendation Ceremony cum QF 10th Anniversary Celebration (Ceremony), and presented certificates of c… read more
The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) released today (May 14) the key analytical accounts of the Exchange Fund at the end of April 2018.
Foreign assets, representing the external assets of the Exchange Fund, decreased during the month by HK$39.4 billion to HK$3,558.6 billion.
The Monetary Base, comprising Certificates of Indebtedness, Government‑issued currency notes and coins in circulation, the balance of the banking system and Exchange Fund Bills and Notes issued, amounted to HK$1,670.6 billion.
Claims on the private sector in Hong Kong amounted to HK$230.5 billion.
Foreign liabilities, representing fees payable to the Exchange Fund’s external managers, amounted to HK$0.4 billion.
The analytical accounts of the Exchange Fund are released in accordance with the International Monetary Fund’s Special Data Dissemination Standard (SDDS) and are referred to as the Analytical Accounts of the Central Bank under SDDS (Annex).
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At present, four press releases relating to the Exchange Fund’s data are issued by the HKMA each month. Three of these releases are issued to disseminate monetary data in accordance with the International Monetary Fund’s Special Data Dissemination Standard (SDDS). The fourth press release, on the Exchange Fund’s Abridged Balance Sheet and Currency Board Account, is made in accordance with the HKMA’s policy of maintaining a high level of transparency. For the month of May 2018, the scheduled dates for issuing the press releases are as follows:
| May 7 (Issued) |
SDDS International Reserves (Hong Kong’s Latest Foreign Currency Reserve Assets Figures) |
| May 14 |
SDDS Analytical Accounts of the Central Bank (Analytical Accounts of the Exchange Fund) |
| May 31 |
SDDS Template on International Reserves and Foreign Currency Liquidity |
| May 31 |
Exchange Fund Abridged Balance Sheet and Currency Board Account |
The Statistics Advisory Board held a meeting today (May 14) to discuss official statistics work and its recent developments. Members noted that the Census and Statistics Department (C&S… read more
The Commissioner for Economic and Trade Affairs, USA, Mr Clement Leung, today (May 13, Newport, Rhode Island time) commended skipper David Witt and the members of Team Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag for continuing the Volvo Ocean Race in honour and memory of their late teammate and friend John Fisher. The team is the first from Hong Kong to enter in the world’s premier offshore race.
Speaking at today’s welcome reception hosted by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in New York (HKETONY), Mr Leung also said that their fortitude and unwavering spirit resonated with Hong Kong’s “can-do” spirit.
He noted that Hong Kong’s natural harbour has contributed to the city’s successful economy. “As a staunch supporter of free trade and open markets, we welcome companies from all corners of the globe to do business in our city,” he said. Hong Kong is now Rhode Island’s fifth largest Asian export market.
The Director of HKETONY, Ms Joanne Chu, expressed the hope that visitors to the Newport race village on Rhode Island would get a chance to experience the vibrant East-meets-West culture of Hong Kong, which is being promoted at the festival booth run by the HKETONY from May 8 to 20.
More than 120 guests attended the reception. Among them were the Lieutenant Governor of Rhode Island, Mr Dan McKee; the Mayor of Newport, Mr Henry Winthrop; the Mayor of Cranston, Mr Allan Fung; the President of the Volvo Ocean Race, Mr Richard Brisius; and the Executive Director of Sail Newport, Mr Brad Read.
Earlier Ms Chu had joined a number of dignitaries to celebrate the opening of the race village on May 8. Among them were the Governor of Rhode Island, Ms Gina Raimondo, and Mayor Winthrop.
A 38-foot-long dragon boat has been set up near the Hong Kong booth for photo-taking in addition to booth games, Chinese arts and craft activities and lion dance performances. Visitors can also take part in a 3D Trick Art Instagram contest.
The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Monday, May 14, 2018 is 98.9 (down 0.1 against last Saturday’s index).
The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Saturday, May 12, 2018 was 99 (same as last Friday’s index). read more