THURSDAY, APRIL 6, 1989
THE GOVERNMENT HAS ASKED THE IDB TO
ADVISE WHETHER A TECHNOLOGY CENTRE WOULD BE USEFUL AND APPROPRIATE IN HONG KONG, AND IF SO, HOW IT SHOULD BE ORGANISED AND MANAGED.
THE BOARD HAS DIRECTED ITS INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE ΤΟ ANALYSE THE REPORT IN DETAIL, WITH THE AIM OF FORMULATING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE BOARD.
IT IS EXPECTED THAT THE IDB WOULD BE INVITED TO ADVISE ON THIS PROJECT WITHIN THREE MONTHS.
PROVISIONAL RESULTS OF RETAIL SALES SURVEY FOR JANUARY
* * * * *
THE VALUE OF TOTAL RETAIL SALES IN JANUARY 1989, ESTIMATED AT $10,663 MILLION, WAS 32 PER CENT HIGHER THAN IN JANUARY 1988 WHILST THEIR VOLUME WAS 22 PER CENT HIGHER, ACCORDING TO THE PROVISIONAL RESULTS OF A SURVEY RELEASED TODAY BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT.
CAUTION SHOULD BE TAKEN IN INTERPRETING THE YEAR ON YEAR COMPARISON IN THIS PRESS RELEASE, MAINLY BECAUSE OF THE TIMING OF THE LUNAR NEW YEAR HOLIDAYS, WHICH OCCURRED IN EARLY FEBRUARY THIS YEAR. IN 1988, THESE HOLIDAYS FELL IN MID-FEBRUARY.
ANALYSED BY MAJOR TRADE GROUPS, RETAIL SALES OF FOODSTUFFS, ALCOHOLIC DRINKS AND TOBACCO IN JANUARY 1989 INCREASED BY 15 PER CENT IN VALUE AND 3 PER CENT IN VOLUME OVER JANUARY 1988. FUELS ROSE BY 1 PER CENT IN SALES VALUE BUT REMAINED ALMOST UNCHANGED IN SALES VOLUME.
RETAIL SALES OF CONSUMER DURABLES INCREASED BY 47 PER CENT IN VALUE AND 35 PER CENT IN CLOTHING, FOOTWEAR AND ALLIED PRODUCTS WENT UP BY 26 PER SALES VALUE AND 13 PER CENT IN SALĖS VOLUME.
ON THE SAME BASIS OF COMPARISON,
VOLUME. CENT IN
RETAIL SALES OF OTHER CONSUMER GOODS ROSE BY 40 VALUE AND 32 PER CENT IN VOLUME.
PER
CENT IN
ANALYSED BY SELECTED TRADES, WHICH FORM PART OF THE RELEVANT MAJOR TRADE GROUPS, SALES OF MOTOR VEHICLES AND PARTS INCREASED BY 96 PER CENT IN VALUE AND 80 PER CENT IN VOLUME. SALES BY DEPARTMENT STORES ROSE BY 55 PER CENT IN VALUE AND 41 PER CENT IN VOLUME,
CONSUMER DURABLES OTHER THAN MOTOR VEHICLES AND PARTS INCREASED BY 23 PER CENT IN SALES VALUE AND 16 PER CENT IN SALES VOLUME, WHILE THE CORRESPONDING INCREASES FOR SUPERMARKETS WERE 22 PER CENT AND 10 PER CENT.
WHEN COMPARED