XN000022-1982-07-07 — Page 3

WEDNESDAY, JULY 7, 1982

LOANS FOR USE IN HONG KONG

LOANS BY BANKS AND DEPOSIT-TAKING COMPANIES FOR USE IN HONG KONG HOSE IN MAY BY 1.8 PER CENT, AGAINST AN INCREASE OF 3.4 PER CENT IN APSIL. IN THE LAST THREE MONTHS TOTAL LOANS FOR USE IN HONG KONG E PANDED BY 8.5 PER CENT, AND OVER THE PAST 12 MONTHS BY 39.1 PER CENT,

WITHIN THE TOTAL, LOANS BY BANKS GREW IN MAY BY 2.1 PER CENT, AND THOSE BY DEPOSIT-TAKING COMPANIES BY 0.8 PER CENT, FOLLOWING INCREASES OF 3.5 PER CENT AND 3.2 PER CENT RESPECTIVELY IN THE PREVIOUS MONTH.

FOREIGN CURRENCY ASSETS AND LIABILITIES

THERE WERE INCREASES IN MAY OF $17.3 BN., TO $442.6 BN., IN THE SPOT FOREIGN CURRENCY LIABILITIES OF THE MONETARY SECTOR AND OF $13.5 BN., TO $435.3 BN., IN THE SPOT FOREIGN CURRENCY ASSETS. THUS, THE SECTOR AS A WHOLE HAD NET SPOT FOREIGN CURRENCY LIABILITIES AT THE END OF MAY OF $7.3 BN. WITHIN THIS, BANKS HAD NET SPOT ASSETS OF $0.1 BN. WHILE DEPOSIT-TAKING COMPANIES HAD NET SPOT LIABILITIES OF $7.4 BN.

BALANCE SHEET RATIOS

THE AVERAGE LIQUIDITY RATIO (AS DEFINED IN S. 18 OF THE BANKING ORDINANCE) FOR ALL BANKS IN HONG KONG ROSE IN MAY TO 49.5 PER CENT FROM 48.5 PER CENT IN APRIL. THE RATIO OF THEIR LOANS FOR USE IN HONG KONG TO THE IR DEPOSITS FELL AGAIN, TO 86.8 PER CENT AT THE END OF MAY FROM 90.9 PER CENT AT THE END OF APRIL, PARTLY REFLECTING THE CONTINUING RAPID EXPANSION OF DEPOSITS WITH BANKS DURING THE MONTH.

THE AVERAGE LIQUIDITY RATIO (AS DEFINED IN S.24A OF THE DEPOSIT-TAKING COMPANIES ORDINANCE) FOR ALL DEPOSIT-TAKING COMPANIES ROSE TO 51.4 PER CENT IN MAY FROM 49.4 PER CENT IN APRIL. THE RATIO OF THE IR LOANS FOR USE IN HONG KONG TO THE IR DEPOSITS ROSE FURTHER TO 85.2 PER CENT AT THE END OF MAY FROM 80.7 PER CENT AT THE END OF APRIL, LARGELY REFLECTING THE CONTINUED DECLINE IN DEPOSITS WITH THEM.

NUMBER OF REPORTING INSTITUTIONS

THE NUMBER OF REPORTING BANKS INCREASED IN MAY BY ONE TO 123. THE NUMBER OF LICENSED DEPOSIT-TAKING COMPANIES REMAINED UNCHANGED AT SEVEN WHILE THE NUMBER OF REGISTERED DEPOSIT-TAKING COMPANIES ROSE BY ONE TO 352.