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the first, second and third quarters.
For 1987 as
a whole, the growth rate in real terms was about 29%, compared with an increase of only 1% in 1986
(Table 2).
10.
Within this category, retained imports of almost all items rose strongly in money terms in
1987. The fastest increases were recorded for
transport equipment, electrical line telephone apparatus, electronic components and parts for computers, air conditioners and air conditioning machines, and office machinery. A relatively
slower increase was recorded for construction
machinery (Table 4).
Investment in property
(all growth rates quoted in this section are on
year-on-year basis)
11.
(a) General situation
Supported by buoyant economic conditions and a low mortgage rate, the property market remained generally active in 1987. The demand for industrial property continued to be firm, given the
robust export performance. However, by the end of
the year, signs of a slow-down in demand began to
emerge in the less-preferred areas. The demand for offices remained strong, given the rapid expansion in the trading and service sectors, including
business with China. However, the stock market
crash may have induced firms in financial and
business services to re-consider their plans for acquiring additional office space. The demand for shopping space was sustained by increases in local
consumer spending and in tourist expenditure.
As
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