XN000022-1992-04-01 — Page 48

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 1992

+

46

MONETARY STATISTICS FOR FEBRUARY RELEASED

HONG KONG DOLLAR DEPOSITS DECREASED SLIGHTLY DURING FEBRUARY THIS YEAR, ACCORDING TO STATISTICS PUBLISHED TODAY (WEDNESDAY) BY THE MONETARY AFFAIRS BRANCH.

COUPLED WITH A DECLINE IN LEGAL TENDER NOTES AND COINS HELD BY THE PUBLIC AFTER THE CHINESE NEW YEAR, HONG KONG DOLLAR MONEY SUPPLY FELL DURING THE MONTH.

YEAR-ON-YEAR, HOWEVER, THE BROADEST DEFINITION OF MONEY SUPPLY, HK$M3, ROSE BY 12.7%, BROADLY IN LINE WITH THE GROWTH IN ECONOMIC ACTIVITY.

HONG KONG DOLLAR LOANS AND ADVANCES, ON THE OTHER HAND, RECORDED AN INCREASE DURING THE MONTH,

LEGAL TENDER NOTES AND COINS

INFLUENCED BY THE HIGH COMPARISON BASE IN JANUARY DUE ΤΟ THE CHINESE NEW YEAR, LEGAL TENDER NOTES AND COINS HELD BY THE NON-BANK PUBLIC DECREASED BY 12.2% DURING FEBRUARY 1992, FOLLOWING INCREASES OF 3.0% AND 24.2% DURING DECEMBER 1991 AND JANUARY 1992 RESPECTIVELY.

COMPARED WITH A YEAR EARLIER, THEY INCREASED THOUGH BY 11.2%.

DEPOSITS

HONG KONG DOLLAR DEPOSITS WITH AUTHORISED INSTITUTIONS, ADJUSTED TO INCLUDE SWAP DEPOSITS, FELL BY 0.1% DURING FEBRUARY 1992, FOLLOWING AN INCREASE OF 1.2% DURING DECEMBER 1991 AND A DECREASE OF 1.2% DURING JANUARY 1992.

AMONG THESE DEPOSITS, DEMAND DEPOSITS DECREASED BY 9.3%, WHILE SAVINGS DEPOSITS AND TIME DEPOSITS INCREASED BY 0.9% AND 1.4% RESPECTIVELY DURING FEBRUARY.

YEAR-ON-YEAR, TOTAL HONG KONG DOLLAR DEPOSITS GREW BY 13.0%.

FOREIGN CURRENCY DEPOSITS WITH AUTHORISED INSTITUTIONS INCREASED BY 0.2% DURING FEBRUARY 1992, AFTER INCREASES OF 3.0% AND 1.4% DURING DECEMBER 1991 AND JANUARY 1992 RESPECTIVELY,

OF THESE DEPOSITS, U.S. DOLLAR DEPOSITS ROSE BY 0. 7% WHILE NON- DOLLAR DEPOSITS FELL BY 0.2%. YEAR-ON-YEAR, TOTAL FOREIGN CURRENCY DEPOSITS INCREASED BY 8.4%.

U.S.

DURING FEBRUARY, DEPOSITS OF ALL CURRENCIES WITH LICENSED BANKS AND RESTRICTED LICENCE BANKS ROSE BY 0.1% AND 1.9% RESPECTIVELY WHILE DEPOSITS WITH DEPOSIT-TAKING COMPANIES FELL BY

1.7%.

/YEAR-ON-YEAR

· 1111