XN000022-1986-03-05 — Page 7

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5, 1986

6

RIDING ON THE ANTIQUE TRAM DECORATED WITH BANNERS CARRYING ELECTION SLOGANS, COMMERCIAL RADIO DISC JOCKEYS, BACKED BY CHEERLEADERS FROM NEW METHOD COLLEGE, APPEALED TO THE PUBLIC ALONG THE WAY.

PART OF THE TRAM RIDE WAS BROADCAST LIVE AT INTERVALS DURING THE LUNCH TIME PERIOD.

REGISTERED VOTERS ARE REMINDED THAT POLLING STATIONS WILL BE OPEN TOMORROW (THURSDAY) FROM 7.30 AM UNTIL 10.30 PM.

JANUARY MONETARY STATISTICS RELEASED

*****

BOTH HONG KONG DOLLAR AND FOREIGN CURRENCY DEPOSITS GREW RAPIDLY IN JANUARY, ACCORDING TO MONETARY STATISTICS PUBLISHED TODAY. THE GROWTH RATE OF FOREIGN CURRENCY DEPOSITS REMAINED HIGHER THAN THAT OF HONG KONG DOLLAR DEPOSITS.

THERE WAS A LARGE, SEASONAL INCREASE IN THE PUBLIC'S HOLDINGS

OF NOTES AND COINS, AHEAD OF THE LUNAR NEW YEAR.

MONEY SUPPLY ON ALL DEFINITIONS INCREASED, WITH THE TOTAL MONEY SUPPLY INCREASING MORE RAPIDLY THAN THE CORRESPONDING HONG KONG DOLLAR COMPONENTS.

LOANS TO

LOANS AND ADVANCES INCREASED MODESTLY IN JANUARY. FINANCE VISIBLE TRADE OF HONG KONG FELL MARGINALLY. AFTER HAVING INCREASED FOR TWO CONSECUTIVE MONTHS; OTHER LOANS FOR USE IN HONG KONG RECORDED A MODERATE INCREASE.

DEPOSITS

IN JANUARY, HONG KONG DOLLAR DEPOSITS INCREASED FURTHER, BY 3.0 PER CENT. AFTER AN INCREASE OF 1.2 PER CENT IN DECEMBER 1985. IN THE THREE MONTHS TO JANUARY HONG KONG DOLLAR DEPOSITS GREW BY 4.6 PER CENT AND OVER THE 12 MONTHS THE GROWTH RATE WAS 12.6 PER CENT. THE SIGNIFICANT GROWTH IN JANUARY REFLECTED IN PART THE CREDITING OF LUNAR NEW YEAR BONUSES.

FOREIGN CURRENCY DEPOSITS GREW RAPIDLY, BY 3.7 PER CENT, FOLLOWING AN INCREASE OF 3.0 PER CENT IN DECEMBER 1985. IN THE THREE MONTHS TO JANUARY FOREIGN CURRENCY DEPOSITS GREW PY 9.8 PER CENT AND OVER THE 12 MONTHS THE GROWTH RATE WAS 40.1 PER CENT.

/FOREIGN JURRENCY