The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (May 10) reported the latest number of dengue fever (DF) cases, and urged the public to maintain strict environmental hygiene, mosquito control and p… read more
Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak, at a media session after attending the Care Teams in Southern District – First Anniversary and Healthy Life Launching Ceremony today… read more
​The Islands District Office (IsDO), in collaboration with relevant government departments and local organisations, conducted a rescue and evacuation drill today (May 10) to enhance their and residents’ preparedness in the event of serious flooding in Tai O, and to promote residents’ understanding of the emergency response arrangements.
Participating in the drill were the IsDO, the Fire Services Department (FSD), the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF), the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO), the Drainage Services Department, the Social Welfare Department (SWD), the Housing Department, the Civil Engineering and Development Department, the Civil Aid Service, the Tai O Rural Committee, the Neighbourhood Advice-Action Council, the Hong Kong Young Women’s Christian Association Tai O Community Work Office, the Hong Kong Red Cross and the Buddhist Fat Ho Memorial College.
According to the relevant emergency response plan, when the HKO forecasts that the sea level at Tai O would rise to 3.3 metres above chart datum or more in the coming few hours due to the effect of a tropical cyclone, the HKO will issue an alert to relevant government departments, organisations, Tai O resident representatives and fishermen representatives by SMS. Upon receipt of the alert, the IsDO will activate an emergency co-ordination centre at the Tai O Rural Committee Office, jointly set up by the IsDO, the FSD, the HKPF, the SWD, as well as other relevant government departments and non-governmental organisations. The emergency co-ordination centre will co-ordinate any necessary evacuation, rescue and emergency relief efforts for Tai O. The drill simulated the real situation and added unexpected elements to increase the difficulty. Participating departments were required to carry out rescue tasks immediately under unexpected circumstances, posing challenges to their response capabilities.
In addition, upon receipt of the HKO’s alert, resident representatives and fishermen representatives in Tai O will help disseminate the information to residents to enable them to stay vigilant for flooding and take refuge in safe locations if necessary. Temporary shelters at the Tai O Rural Committee Office, the Hong Kong Young Women’s Christian Association Tai O Community Work Office, the Buddhist Fat Ho Memorial College and the Transit Centre situated at Lung Tin Estate will be opened for residents in need.
The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) released today (May 10) the results of the Monthly Survey on Business Situation of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) for April 2024.
The current diffusion index (DI) on business receipts amongst SMEs decreased from 45.5 in March 2024 in the contractionary zone to 43.8 in April 2024, whereas the one-month’s ahead (i.e. May 2024) outlook DI on business receipts was 46.3. Analysed by sector, the current DIs on business receipts for all the surveyed sectors dropped in April 2024 as compared with previous month, particularly for the restaurants (from 41.4 to 38.3) and logistics (from 44.6 to 41.7).
The current DI on new orders for the import and export trades decreased from 47.4 in March 2024 to 46.4 in April 2024, whereas the outlook DI on new orders in one month’s time (i.e. May 2024) was 45.9.
Commentary
A Government spokesman said that overall business sentiment among SMEs and their expectations on the business situation in one month’s time softened in April. The overall employment situation also eased somewhat.
The spokesman added that while the complicated external environment would continue to affect business sentiment in the near term, further growth of the economy should render support. The Government will monitor the situation closely.
Further information
The Monthly Survey on Business Situation of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises aims to provide a quick reference, with minimum time lag, for assessing the short-term business situation faced by SMEs. SMEs covered in this survey refer to establishments with fewer than 50 persons engaged. Respondents were asked to exclude seasonal fluctuations in reporting their views. Based on the views collected from the survey, a set of diffusion indices (including current and outlook diffusion indices) is compiled. A reading above 50 indicates that the business condition is generally favourable, whereas that below 50 indicates otherwise. As for statistics on the business prospects of prominent establishments in Hong Kong, users may refer to the publication entitled “Report on Quarterly Business Tendency Survey” released by the C&SD.
The results of the survey should be interpreted with care. The survey solicits feedback from a panel sample of about 600 SMEs each month and the survey findings are thus subject to sample size constraint. Views collected from the survey refer only to those of respondents on their own establishments rather than those on the respective sectors they are engaged in. Besides, in this type of opinion survey on expected business situation, the views collected in the survey are affected by the events in the community occurring around the time of enumeration, and it is difficult to establish precisely the extent to which respondents’ perception of the business situation accords with the underlying trends. For this survey, main bulk of the data were collected around the last week of the reference month.
More detailed statistics are given in the “Report on Monthly Survey on the Business Situation of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises”. Users can browse and download the publication at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1080015&scode=300).
Users who have enquiries about the survey results may contact Industrial Production Statistics Section of the C&SD (Tel: 3903 7246; email: sme-survey@censtatd.gov.hk). read more
The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) announces that a tender of 2-year Exchange Fund Notes will be held on May 22, 2024 (Wednesday), for settlement on May 23, 2024 (Thursday), as set out in the published tentative issuance schedule. This is to roll over an issue of 2-year Exchange Fund Notes maturing on the same day.
A total of HK$1,200 million 2-year Notes will be on offer, of which HK$5 million will be made available for offer to members of the public who wish to submit non-competitive tender bids through Hong Kong Securities Clearing Company Limited (HKSCC). If the Notes reserved for non-competitive tender are under-subscribed, the non-subscribed amount will be added to the portion of notes for competitive tender (initially set at HK$1,195 million). The Notes will mature on May 26, 2026 and will carry interest at the rate of 3.77 per cent per annum payable semi-annually in arrears.
Members of the public who wish to submit non-competitive tender applications for Notes that are open to HKSCC may do so through Stock Exchange Participants/Brokers, or for those who hold Investor Accounts of the Central Clearing and Settlement System (CCASS) at the HKSCC, directly through HKSCC, for submission to the HKMA for processing. Competitive tender applications for the Notes must be submitted through any of the Eligible Market Makers appointed by the HKMA, with the current published list available on the HKMA’s website at www.hkma.gov.hk. Each tender must be for an amount of HK$50,000 or integral multiples thereof for both competitive and non-competitive tender.
The tender results will be published on the HKMA’s website, the Refinitiv screen (HKMAOOE), and Bloomberg. Applicants who submitted non-competitive tender bids through HKSCC may also obtain the tender results from Stock Exchange Participants/Brokers, or for applicants who hold Investor Accounts at HKSCC’s CCASS from the CCASS terminal for CCASS Broker/Custodian/Participants and CCASS Phone System.
HKMA Exchange Fund Note Programme Tender Information
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Tender information of 2-Year Exchange Fund Notes:
| Issue Number | : | 02Y2605 |
| Stock code | : | 4099 (EFN 3.77 2605) |
| Tender date and time | : | Wednesday, May 22, 2024 9.30am to 10.30am |
| Issue and Settlement Date | : | Thursday, May 23, 2024 |
| Amount on offer | : | HK$1,200 million (up to HK$5 million for non-competitive tender) |
| Commencement of/ Deadline for submission of non-competitive tender bids by retail investors through HKSCC |
: | Please refer to requirements as set down by HKSCC |
| Maturity | : | Two years |
| Maturity Date | : | Tuesday, May 26, 2026 |
| Interest Rate | : | 3.77% p.a. |
| Interest Payment Dates | : | November 25, 2024 May 23, 2025 November 24, 2025 May 26, 2026 |
| Tender amount | : | Each tender must be for an amount of HK$50,000 or integral multiples thereof for both competitive and non-competitive tender. Members of the public who wish to apply for the Notes through non-competitive tenders that are open to HKSCC may do so through Stock Exchange Participants/ Brokers, or for those who hold Investors Accounts at HKSCC’s CCASS, directly through HKSCC. Members of the public who wish to apply for the Notes through competitive tender may only do so through any of the Eligible Market Makers on the current published list. |
| Other details | : | Please see Information Memorandum published or approach Eligible Market Makers, HKSCC, or brokers who are Exchange Participants of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong. |
| Expected commencement date of dealing on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong | : | Friday, May 24, 2024 |
| Yield-to- Maturity | Price | Yield-to-Maturity | Price |
| 2.77 | 101.97 | 3.77 | 100.07 |
| 2.82 | 101.87 | 3.82 | 99.97 |
| 2.87 | 101.78 | 3.87 | 99.88 |
| 2.92 | 101.68 | 3.92 | 99.79 |
| 2.97 | 101.58 | 3.97 | 99.69 |
| 3.02 | 101.49 | 4.02 | 99.60 |
| 3.07 | 101.39 | 4.07 | 99.51 |
| 3.12 | 101.30 | 4.12 | 99.41 |
| 3.17 | 101.20 | 4.17 | 99.32 |
| 3.22 | 101.11 | 4.22 | 99.23 |
| 3.27 | 101.01 | 4.27 | 99.14 |
| 3.32 | 100.92 | 4.32 | 99.04 |
| 3.37 | 100.82 | 4.37 | 98.95 |
| 3.42 | 100.73 | 4.42 | 98.86 |
| 3.47 | 100.63 | 4.47 | 98.77 |
| 3.52 | 100.54 | 4.52 | 98.67 |
| 3.57 | 100.44 | 4.57 | 98.58 |
| 3.62 | 100.35 | 4.62 | 98.49 |
| 3.67 | 100.25 | 4.67 | 98.40 |
| 3.72 | 100.16 | 4.72 | 98.31 |
| 3.77 | 100.07 | 4.77 | 98.22 |