FRIDAY, JULY 20, 1979
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APRIL MONTHLY DIGEST OF STATISTICS
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THE APRIL MONTHLY DIGEST OF STATISTICS PUBLISHED BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT INCLUDES A NEW SECTION ON EXTERNAL LIABILITIES AND CLAIMS WHICH ANALYSES BY COUNTRY OF THE OVERSEAS BANKING BUSINESS OF BANKS AND DEPOSIT-TAKING COMPANIES IN HONG KONG
COMMENTING ON THE NEWLY-INCLUDED SECTION, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT SAID IT CONTAINS TWO TABLES WHICH REPRESENT HONG KONG'S CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS A BETTER KNOWLEDGE OF THE INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL MARKETS.
+MUCH WORK HAS BEEN CARRIED OUT IN RECENT YEARS, PARTICULARLY BY THE BANK FOR INTERNATIONAL SETTLEMENTS, TO COLLECT AND PUBLISH DATA ON BANK LIABILITIES TO AND CLAIMS ON INDIVIDUAL COUNTRIES BOTH IN DOMESTIC CURRENCIES AND IN FOREIGN CURRENCIES,+ HE SAID.
+THE INTENTION IS TO PROVIDE COMMERCIAL BANKS WITH BETTER INFORMATION TO ASSIST THEM IN MAKING CREDIT JUDGMENT ON LENDING TO DEVELOPING COUNTRIES,+ HE ADDED.
SO FAR, HE SAID, THE DATA HAVE BEEN COMPILED FROM RETURNS PROVIDED BY EVERY BANK IN MAJOR WESTERN COUNTRIES, BUT THE BANK FOR INTERNATIONAL SETTLEMENTS IS NOW EXPANDING COVERAGE TO INCLUDE ALL BANKS AND OTHER APPROPRIATE FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS IN HONG KONG, SINGAPORE, THE BAHAMAS, THE CAYMAN ISLANDS AND PANAMA.
THE DATA ARE NOW BEING COLLECTED QUARTERLY BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT FOR INCLUSION IN THE INTERNATIONAL STATISTICS COMPILED BY THE BANK FOR INTERNATIONAL SETTLEMENTS,
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE FIGURES WILL ALSO BE PUBLISHED QUARTERLY IN HONG KONG BECAUSE THEY ARE THOUGHT TO BE OF INTEREST TO FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS IN HONG KONG, AND WILL ASSIST IN MEASURING HONG KONG'S GROWING STATUS AS AN INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL CENTRE.
COPIES OF THE APRIL ISSUE OF HONG KONG MONTHLY DIGEST OF STATISTICS ARE NOW ON SALE AT $6 EACH AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE AT THE CENTRAL POST OFFICE BUILDING, CONNAUGHT PLACE, HONG KONG.
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