WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1984
Loans and Advances
Loans to finance Hong Kong'o visible trade
increased by 2.1% in December, more than offsetting
the decreases recorded in the previous two months.
Thus, in the last quarter of 1983 these loans grew by
0.7% and for the year as a whole a growth of 11. 9% was
Other loans for use in Hong Kong fell by
2.3% in December, leading to a fall of 1.8% in the
fourth quarter, but for the year as a whole there was
an increase of 11.5%.
recorded.
Quarterly Analysis of Other Loans for Use in Hong Kong
The quarterly breakdown of loans for use in
Hong Kong, other than those for financing visible
trade, ahows a contraction of 8.6% in loans to the
building, construction and property development sector
in the fourth quarter of 1983. This contrasts with an
increase of 4.6% in the third quarter and probably
reflects some writing-off of bad debts at the
year-end. The contraction more than offset increases
in the previous quarters so that for the year as a
whole, there was a decrease of 4.9%. Loans to
individuals to purchase residential property including
flats of the Home Ownership Scheme and Private Sector
/Participation....