XN000022-1993-05-13 — Page 28

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THURSDAY, MAY 13, 1993

THE GENERAL BUSINESS SITUATION OF THE PRINTING INDUSTRY SHOWED LITTLE CHANGE IN THE QUARTER AS THE MAJORITY OF FIRMS EXPERIENCED THE SAME SITUATION AS IN THE PREVIOUS QUARTER.

DESPITE THE KEEN COMPETITION BOTH LOCALLY AND FROM OVERSEAS, MANUFACTURERS IN THE INDUSTRY EXPECT THAT THE GENERAL BUSINESS SITUATION WILL EMPROVE AGAIN IN THE FOLLOWING QUARTER.

THE GENERAL BUSINESS SITUATION OF THE PLASTICS INDUSTRY IN THE FIRST QUARTER THIS YEAR REMAINED THE SAME AS IN THE PRECEDING QUARTER WHILE CAPACITY UTILISATION DECREASED.

LOOKING AHEAD, MANUFACTURERS EXPROT IMPROVEMENTS RESPECTS IN THE FOLLOWING QUARTER. KEEN PRICE COMPETITION WAGE RATES CONTINUED TO BOTHER THE INDUSTRY.

IN BOTH AND HIGH

MANUFACTURERS FROM THE FABRICATED METAL PRODUCTS INDUSTRY EXPERIENCED A WORSE THAN EXPECTED GENERAL BUSINESS SITUATION IN THE FIRST QUARTER THIS YEAR. BUSINESS PROBLEMS LIKE KEEN PRICE COMPETITION, HIGH WAGE RATES AND SHORTAGE OF STAFF INTENSIFIED IN THE QUARTER.

NONETHELESS, MANUFACTURERS GENERALLY EXPECT A SEASONAL IMPROVEMENT IN THE BUSINESS SITUATION IN THE FOLLOWING QUARTER.

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ALTHOUGH THE FIRST QUARTER IS NORMALLY A QUIET SEASON FOR THE ELECTRICAL MACHINERY AND APPLIANCE INDUSTRY MANUFACTURERS REPORTED THAT THE GENERAL BUSINESS SITUATION IN THE FIRST QUARTER THIS YEAR MANAGED TO REMAIN SIMILAR AS IN THE PRECEDING QUARTER. LOOKING AHEAD, THE GENERAL BUSINESS SITUATION WILL CONTINUE TO IMPROVE.

RESTAURANT OPERATORS REPORTED THAT THE GENERAL BUSINESS SITUATION IN THE FIRST QUARTER REMAINED BROADLY THE SAME AS

IN THE PREVIOUS QUARTER.

LOOKING AHEAD, THE MAJORITY OF RESTAURANT OPERATORS EXPECT THAT THE SITUATION WILL DETERIORATE IN THE FOLLOWING QUARTER WHEN A LOW SEASON OF BUSINESS SETS IN.

THE MAJORITY OF HOTEL OPERATORS REPORTED DETERIORATION IN THE GENERAL BUSINESS SITUATION IN THE FIRST QUARTER. THIS WAS, HOWEVER, LARGELY SEASONAL AS THE FIRST QUARTER IS NORMALLY A LOW SEASON FOR HOTEL BUSINESS.

LOOKING AHRAD, HOTEL OPERATORS GENERALLY EXPECT AN IMPROVED SITUATION AS BUSINESS STARTS TO PICK UP AGAIN IN THE SECOND QUARTER.

AS REGARDS THE WHOLESALE, RETAIL AND IMPORT/EXPORT TRADES, THE GENERAL BUSINESS SITUATION IN THE FIRST QUARTER REMAINED BROADLY THE SAME AS IN THE PREVIOUS QUARTER. MEANWHILE, KEEN PRICE COMPETITION CONTINUED TO BE THE BUSINESS PROBLEM MOST CITED IN THE TRADES.

FOR THE BANKING INDUSTRY, THERE WAS A BETTER THAN EXPECTED GENERAL BUSINESS SITUATION IN THE FIRST QUARTER.

NOTWITHSTANDING THIS FAVOURABLE SITUATION, THE BANKS REPORTED THE PROBLEMS OF STAFF SHORTAGE AND STAFF TURNOVER INTENSIFIED LOT IN THE QUARTER.

THAT

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/NONETHELESS, THE