XN000022-1985-10-31 — Page 5

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1985

WITHIN THE TOTAL, LOANS TO FINANCE VISIBLE TRADE OF HONG KONG FELL BY 2.0 PER CENT IN SEPTEMBER, FOLLOWING A FALL OF 0.7 PER CENT IN AUGUST, IN THE THREE MONTHS TO SEPTEMBER, THESE LOANS FELL BY 4.4 PER CENT AND OVER TWELVE MONTHS BY 7.5 PER CENT. OTHER LOANS FOR USE IN HONG KONG, HOWEVER, GREW BY 1.1 PER CENT, FOLLOWING A 0.1 PER CENT INCREASE IN AUGUST. IN THE THREE MONTHS TO SEPTEMBER, THEY GREW BY 1.9 PER CENT AND OVER TWELVE MONTHS BY 8.4 PER CENT.

QUARTERLY ANALYSIS OF LOANS AND ADVANCES FOR USE IN HONG KONG BY SECTOR

DURING THE THIRD QUARTER, LOANS AND ADVANCES EXTENDED TO THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR ROSE BY 3.4 PER CENT, AFTER A MODEST

INCREASE OF 1,8 PER CENT IN THE SECOND QUARTER,

LOANS TO THE WHOLESALE AND RETAIL TRADES FELL BY A MARGINAL 0.6 PER CENT, FOLLOWING AN INCREASE OF 3.3 PER CENT

IN THE SECOND QUARTER.

LOANS TO THE BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION SECTOR FELL FOR THE FOURTH CONSECUTIVE QUARTER, BY 4.1 PER CENT, FOLLOWING A FALL OF 2.4 PER CENT IN THE SECOND QUARTER.

REFLECTING A SUSTAINED REVIVAL IN THE PROPERTY MARKET, LOANS TO INDIVIDUALS FOR THE PURCHASE OF RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY (OTHER THAN FLATS IN THE HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME AND PRIVATE SECTOR PARTICIPATION SCHEME) CONTINUED TO RISE STRONGLY BY 7.2 PER CENT, AFTER AN INCREASE OF 6.5 PER CENT IN THE PREVIOUS QUARTER.

LIQUIDITY RATIOS

THE AVERAGE LIQUIDITY RATIO (AS DEFINED IN S. 18 OF THE BANKING ORDINANCE) FOR ALL BANKS ROSE TO 50.5 PER CENT IN SEPTEMBER FROM 49.1 PER CENT IN THE PREVIOUS MONTH. THE AVERAGE LIQUIDITY RATIO (AS DEFINED IN S. 24A OF THE DEPOSIT- TAKING COMPANIES ORDINANCE) FOR ALL DEPOSIT-TAKING COMPANIES ROSE TO 41.5 PER CENT IN SEPTEMBER FROM 40.5 PER CENT IN AUGUST.

NUMBER OF REPORTING INSTITUTIONS

THE NUMBERS OF REPORTING LICENSED BANKS AND LICENSED DEPOS IT-TAK ING COMPANIES REMAINED UNCHANGED AT 141 AND 34 RESPECTIVELY. THE NUMBER OF REPORTING REGISTERED DEPOSIT-TAK ING COMPANIES FELL BY 1 TO 283.

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