XN000022-1991-11-14 — Page 6

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1991

EXPERIENCED A

IN THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR, THE FIRMS SURVEYED MILD IMPROVEMENT IN BUSINESS IN THE THIRD QUARTER OF 1991 AS WITH THE SECOND QUARTER AND EXPECT THE SITUATION TO CONTINUE FOURTH QUARTER.

COMPARED IN THE

GENERALLY

FIRMS IN THE DISTRIBUTIVE AND CATERING TRADES SECTOR IN THE THIRD IN BUSINESS EXPERIENCED

QUARTER. AN IMPROVEMENT REGARDING THE BUSINESS OUTLOOK FOR THE FOURTH QUARTER, FIRMS IN THIS

PARTICULARLY HOTELS

A CONTINUED RESTAURANTS, EXPECT SECTOR, IMPROVEMENT IN BUSINESS.

AND

IN THE

OTHER SERVICES SECTOR, THE

EXPERIENCED AN IMPROVEMENT IN BUSINESS IN THE THIRD QUARTER.

THE

FIRMS SURVEYED GENERALLY

FIRMS THE REAL CONTINUED

IN

REGARDING BUSINESS PROSPECTS FOR THE FOURTH QUARTER,

IN TRANSPORT, STORAGE AND COMMUNICATION SERVICES AND

A ANTICIPATE ESTATE DEVELOPMENT IMPROVEMENT, WHILE BANKS EXPECT BUSINESS TO REMAIN STABLE.

AND RELATED

SERVICES

ABOUT 1,000 FIRMS FROM VARIOUS INDUSTRIES AND TRADES, FORMING A

SURVEY. CROSS-SECTION OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, PARTICIPATED IN THE THEY WERE ASKED ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS EXPERIENCES AND EXPECTATIONS WELL AS THE BUSINESS PROBLEMS THEY FACED.

AS

IN THE THIRD QUARTER OF 1991, FIRMS IN THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR OF GENERALLY ENCOUNTERED THE PROBLEMS OF PRICE COMPETITION, SHORTAGE

AND HIGH SKILLED LABOUR, INSUFFICIENT BUSINESS ORDERS OR CONTRACTS,

THE FOURTH WAGE RATES. THESE PROBLEMS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE IN QUARTER.

SHORTAGE OF AND HIGH WAGE THESE PROBLEMS

IN THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR, PRICE COMPETITION, SKILLED LABOUR, INSUFFICIENT BUSINESS OR CONTRACTS, RATES WERE THE MAJOR PROBLEMS IN THE THIRD QUARTER. ARE EXPECTED TO SUSTAIN IN THE FOURTH QUARTER.

THE OTHER PRICE

IN THE DISTRIBUTIVE AND CATERING TRADES SECTOR AND

FIRMS CITED OF SERVICES

A SECTOR.

SIGNIFICANT PROPORTION COMPETITION, SHORTAGE OF EXPERIENCED STAFF, HIGH STAFF COSTS, AND HIGH IN THE THIRD QUARTER STAFF TURNOVER AS THEIR MAJOR BUSINESS PROBLEMS OF 1991.

IMPORT/EXPORT IN ADDITION, FIRMS IN THE WHOLESALE, RETAIL AND

RENTALS FOR PREMISES. TRADES ALSO ENCOUNTERED THE PROBLEM OF HIGH THESE PROBLEMS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE IN THE FOURTH QUARTER.

RESULTS OF ACCORDING TO THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT,

ARE THE QUARTERLY BUSINESS SURVEY, OBTAINED WITH A MINIMUM TIME LAG,

FOR MAKING A QUICK INTENDED TO

SOURCE OF REFERENCE PROVIDE A

KONG FROM A ASSESSMENT OF THE CURRENT ECONOMIC SITUATION OF HONG SHORT-TERM PERSPECTIVE,

IN THE SURVEY, PARTICIPATING FIRMS WERE WHETHER, IN THEIR OPINION, THE GENERAL BUSINESS SITUATION LEVEL OF CAPACITY UTILISATION HAD "IMPROVED", "REMAINED THE SAME"

COMPARED WITH "DETERIORATED" IN THE THIRD QUARTER OF 1991 AS PRECEDING QUARTER.

ASKED

ΤΟ

INDICATE AND

THE OR

THE

/THEY WERE