XN000022-1994-03-02 — Page 6

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 1994

INCREASED

TOTAL M1, M2 AND M3

BY 11.0%, 6.8% AND 6.4% RESPECTIVELY IN JANUARY 1994. THE CORRESPONDING PERCENTAGE CHANGES IN DECEMBER 1993 WERE +4.4%, -7.3% AND -6.9% RESPECTIVELY. YEAR-ON-YEAR, TOTAL M1, M2 AND M3 ROSE BY 27.9%, 20.1% AND 19.3% RESPECTIVELY.

LOANS AND ADVANCES

TOTAL OUTSTANDING LOANS AND ADVANCES EXTENDED BY AUTHORISED INSTITUTIONS INCREASED BY 4.1% IN JANUARY 1994, FOLLOWING AN INCREASE OF 3.6% IN NOVEMBER 1993 AND A DECREASE OF 4.2% IN DECEMBER 1993.

AMONG THESE LOANS, HONG KONG DOLLAR LOANS ROSE STRONGLY BY 9.4%, LARGELY OWING TO LOANS TO FINANCE THE SUBSCRIPTION OF NEW SHARES.

FOREIGN CURRENCY LOANS INCREASED BY 1.4%. COMPARED WITH A YEAR EARLIER, THESE LOANS INCREASED BY 27.1% AND 16.2% RESPECTIVELY.

LOANS TO FINANCE VISIBLE TRADE OF HONG KONG INCREASED BY 1.1% IN JANUARY 1994, AFTER A DECREASE OF 0.1% IN NOVEMBER 1993 AND AN INCREASE OF 0.3% IN DECEMBER 1993. YEAR-ON-YEAR, SUCH LOANS GREW BY 14.0%.

OTHER LOANS FOR USE IN HONG KONG ROSE BY 8.1% IN JANUARY

1994, FOLLOWING AN INCREASE OF 8.6% IN NOVEMBER 1993 AND A DECREASE OF 10.6% IN DECEMBER 1993. YEAR-ON-YEAR, THESE LOANS INCREASED BY 25.8%.

LOANS FOR USE OUTSIDE HONG KONG INCREASED BY 1.6% IN JANUARY 1994, AFTER INCREASES OF 0.3% EACH IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER 1993 RESPECTIVELY. YEAR-ON-YEAR, THESE LOANS GREW BY 16.7%.

LOANS TO FINANCE TRADE NOT TOUCHING HONG KONG INCREASED BY 2.8% DURING JANUARY 1994 AFTER DECREASES OF 0.7% AND 6.5% IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER 1993 RESPECTIVELY. YEAR-ON-YEAR, THESE LOANS DECREASED BY 4.1%.

NUMBER OF REPORTING INSTITUTIONS

THE NUMBER OF REPORTING LICENSED BANKS INCREASED BY ONE TO 169 WHILE THE NUMBER OF REPORTING RESTRICTED LICENCE BANKS AND DEPOSIT- TAKING COMPANIES DECREASED BY ONE EACH TO 56 AND 139 RESPECTIVELY.

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