XN000022-1980-06-05 — Page 4

MY

THURSDAY, JUNE 5, 1980

CREDIT TO THE ECONOMY

BANK LOANS IN HONG KONG ROSE IN APRIL BY 3.5 PER CENT, WELL UP FROM THE MARCH INCREASE OF 0.4 PER CENT. LOANS IN HONG KONG BY DEPOSIT-TAKING COMPANIES ROSE IN APRIL BY 5.0 PER CENT, WELL DOWN FROM THE MARCH RISE OF 9.4 PER CENT.

AS A RESULT, TOTAL LOANS IN HONG KONG ROSE BY 3.8 PER CENT IN APRIL. AGAINST A 2.0 PER CENT INCREASE IN MARCH. BUT, IN THE LAST THREE MONTHS, TOTAL LOANS IN HONG KONG ROSE BY 10.9 PER CENT, SHARPLY DOWN FROM THE 15.3 PER CENT RISE IN THE PREVIOUS THREE MONTHS.

BALANCE SHEET RATIOS

THE AVERAGE LIQUIDITY RATIO FOR ALL BANKS IN HONG KONG FELL IN APRIL TO 49.6 PER CENT FROM 52.6 PER CENT IN MARCH. THE LOANS/DEPOSIT RATIO HOWEVER CONTINUED TO RISE TO 103.6 PER CENT AT THE END OF APRIL, FROM 101.7 PER CENT AT THE END OF MARCH.

THE AVERAGE LIQUIDITY RATIO FOR ALL DEPOSIT-TAKING COMPANIES ALSO FELL IN APRIL TO 41.9 PER CENT FROM 44.6 PER CENT IN MARCH. THE LOAN/DEPOSIT RATIO AT THE END OF APRIL HOWEVER ROSE TO 56.7 PER CENT FROM 54.8 PER CENT.

NUMBER OF REPORTING INSTITUTIONS

THE NUMBER OF REPORTING BANKS ROSE BY TWO IN APRIL TO 112. ONE MORE DEPOSIT-TAKING COMPANY BEGAN TO REPORT DURING THE MONTH, BRINGING THEIR TOTAL TO 273.

PROGRESS DEPENDS ON SPIRIT OF YOUNGER GENERATION

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PROGRESS OF SOCIETY DEPENDS VERY MUCH ON THE EVER-CREATIVE AND EVER-PROGRESSIVE SPIRIT OF THE YOUNGER GENERATION, ACTING SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR AUGUSTINE CHUI KAM, SAID TODAY.

MR CHUI WAS SPEAKING AT THE SPEECH DAY OF THE DAUGHTERS OF MARY HELP OF CHRISTIANS SIU MING CATHOLIC SECONDARY SCHOOL, TSUEN WAN.

MR CHUI SAND WHILE WE WERE DETERMINED FOR PROGRESS, WE MUST NEITHER FORGET NOR UNDERESTIMATE THE LABOUR OF THE FORMER GENERATION, WHO, IN THE EARLY DAYS, WHEN HONG KONG WAS NOT SO PROSPEROUS, HAD STARTED THEIR BUSINESSES AMID TOIL AND HARDSHIP. AND THE GOVERNMENT. FACED WITH VERY DIFFICULT SITUATIONS, HAD FOUGHT HAND IN HAND WITH THE PEOPLE TO DEVELOP VARIOUS BUILDING AND WELFARE PROJECTS.

/+WE SHOULD