WEDNESDAY, MAY 12, 1982
LOANS FOR USE IN HONG KONG
LOANS BY BANKS AND DEPOSIT-TAKING COMPANIES FOR USE IN HONG KONG ROSE IN MARCH BY 3.1 PER CENT, AFTER AN INCREASE OF 3.6 PER CENT IN FEBRUARY. IN THE FIRST QUARTER, TOTAL LOANS FOR USE IN HONG KONG GREW BY 9.5 PER CENT, AGAINST AN INCREASE OF 8.1 PER CENT IN THE PREVIOUS THREE MONTHS.
LOANS BY BANKS FOR USE IN HONG KONG ROSE IN MARCH BY 4.1 PER CENT, AND THOSE BY DEPOSIT-TAKING COMPANIES BY 0.4 PER CENT, FOLLOWING INCREASES OF 3.8 PER CENT AND 3.1 PER CENT RESPECTIVELY IN THE PREVIOUS MONTH.
QUARTERLY ANALYSIS OF LOANS AND ADVANCES FOR USE IN HONG KONG
BY SECTOR
IN THE FIRST QUARTER, LOANS AND ADVANCES EXTENDED BY BANKS AND DTC'S TO THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR ROSE BY 12.1 PER CENT, WHILE LOANS TO THE BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION SECTOR ROSE BY 8.5 PER CENT.
BORROWING BY INDIVIDUALS TO PURCHASE FLATS IN THE HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME AND PRIVATE SECTOR PARTICIPATION SCHEME EXPANDED BY 5.4 PER CENT IN THE FIRST QUARTER, AND BORROWING TO PURCHASE OTHER RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY ROSE BY 8.3 PER CENT, LOANS AND ADVANCES TO CREDIT CARD HOLDERS ROSE BY 10.9 PER CENT, BUT THE IR SHARE IN TOTAL LOANS FOR USE IN HONG KONG REMAINED NEGLIGIBLE (0.1 PER CENT).
FOREIGN CURRENCY ASSETS
THERE WAS AN INCREASE IN MARCH OF $25.3 BN, TO $416.9 BN, IN THE FOREIGN CURRENCY LIABILITIES OF THE MONETARY SECTOR, LARGELY ASSOCIATED WITH THE EXEMPTION OF FOREIGN CURRENCY DEPOSITS FROM INTEREST WITHHOLDING TAX, WHICH HAD EFFECT FROM FEBRUARY 25.
THE SECTOR'S FOREIGN CURRENCY ASSETS ALSO ROSE, BY $21.7 BN TO $417.6 BN, LEAVING THE NET SPOT FOREIGN CURRENCY POSITION CLOSE TO BALANCE. WITHIN THIS, BANKS HAD NET SPOT FOREIGN CURRENCY ASSETS OF $6,2 BN, AND DEPOSIT-TAKING COMPANIES LIABILITIES OF $5.5 BN.
BALANCE SHEET RATIOS
THE AVERAGE LIQUIDITY RATIO (AS DEFINED IN S.18 OF THE BANKING ORDINANCE) FOR ALL BANKS IN HONG KONG FELL IN MARCH TO 51.1 PER CENT FROM 54.5 PER CENT IN FEBRUARY. THE RATIO OF THE IR LOANS FOR USE IN HONG KONG TO THEIR DEPOTITS FELL TO 95.6 PER CENT AT THE END OF MARCH FROM 103.1 PER CENT AT THE END OF FEBRUARY.
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