2
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1989
OTHER HAND, FIRMS ON THE IMPORT/EXPORT TRADES SECTOR EXPECT CONTINUE INTO THE FIRST QUARTER.
IN
THE
WHOLESALE,
THE
IMPROVEMENT
RETAIL
AND
IN BUSINESS TO
FIRMS SERVICES,
IN DIFFERENT TRADE IN THE SECTOR FOR OTHER
AND COMMUNICATION, REAL ESTATE CATEGORIES (1.E. TRANSPORT. STORAGE
BANKS AND MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND RELATED SERVICES,
SITUATION IN SERVICES CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE A FAVOURABLE BUSINESS THE FOURTH QUARTER.
THEY GENERALLY EXPECT A MODERATE
EXCEPTION THE FIRST QUARTER, WITH THE STORAGE AND COMMUNICATION SECTOR WHICH BUSINESS.
IN IMPROVEMENT
BUSINESS
IN
OF FIRMS IN THE TRANSPORT, EXPECT A MILD REDUCTION IN
ABOUT 1,000
FIRMS FROM VARIOUS
FORMING A CROSS-SECTION OF THE
AND WERE ASKED THE SURVEY EXPECTATIONS. THE SURVEY
BUSINESS
ABOUT
1NDUSTRIES COMMUNITY, THEIR BUSINESS
AND BUSINESSES,
PARTICIPATED
IN
EXPERIENCES
AND
BUSINESS COVERED ALSO
PROBLEMS FACED BY
FIRMS.
IN THE
SECTOR, MANUFACTURING
THE
PROBLEMS
OF
SHORTAGE OF REPORTED BY A PROBLEMS
WERE
LABOUR GENERALLY AND SHORTAGE OF SKILLED LABOUR SIGNIFICANT PROPORTION OF FIRMS IN THE FOURTH QUARTER. THESE ARE EXPECTED TO PERSIST IN THE FIRST QUARTER.
REGARDING THE PROBLEMS
FACED BY FIRMS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AFFECTED SECTOR, OVER HALF OF THE RESPONDENTS REPORTED THAT THEY WERE
GENERALLY, SHORTAGE BY THE CONTINUING PROBLEMS OF SHORTAGE OF LABOUR OF SKILLED LABOUR AND HIGH WAGE RATES. THESE PROBLEMS ARE EXPECTED REMAIN SIGNIFICANT IN THE FIRST QUARTER.
FIRMS IN THE DISTRIBUTIVE AND CATERING TRADE SECTOR AS WELL THE PROBLEMS THE OTHER SERVICES SECTOR WERE COMMONLY AFFECTED BY SHORTAGE OF STAFF GENERALLY AND HIGH STAFF TURNOVER.
то
AS
OF
REPORTED AS A
IN ADDITION, SHORTAGE OF EXPERIENCED STAFF WAS PROMINENT PROBLEM BY THE HOTELS AND BANKS IN THE FOURTH QUARTER. SITUATION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE IN THE FIRST QUARTER.
THIS
CONSIDERED то BE A
THE WHOLESALE,
THE FOURTH
ON THE OTHER HAND, PRICE COMPETITION WAS RELATIVELY MORE SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM BY RESPONDENTS IN
AND BANKS SECTORS FOR RETAIL AND IMPORT/EXPORT TRADES QUARTER OF 1988 AS WELL AS FOR THE FIRST QUARTER OF 1989.
ACCORDING TO THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT,
ARE INTENDED RESULTS, OBTAINED WITH A MINIMUM TIME LAG, ONE SOURCE OF REFERENCE FOR MAKING A QUICK ASSESSMENT OF ECONOMIC SITUATION OF HONG KONG.
THE SURVEY
ΤΟ
THE
PROVIDE CURRENT
FIRMS WERE
ΤΟ ASKED
INDICATE SITUATION AND LEVEL SAME" OR WITH THE
WHETHER, IN THEIR OPINION, THE GENERAL BUSINESS
"REMAINED THE "IMPROVED",
1988 AS COMPARED
IN THE SURVEY,
PARTICIPATING
OF
UTILISATION CAPACITY "DETERIORATED" IN THE FOURTH QUARTER OF PRECEDING QUARTER.
HAD
/THEY WERE