XN000022-1994-05-27 — Page 21

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FRIDAY, MAY 27, 1994

THE SHARES WERE SUBSEQUENTLY ACQUIRED BY THE HONGKONG CHINA/EIE GROUP DURING A TAKEOVER BID FOR ASIL IN MID-1993.

"THE INSPECTOR MADE A NUMBER OF OBSERVATIONS REGARDING THE TRUE SHARES IN QUESTION PERSONS WHO WERE FINANCIALLY INTERESTED IN THE DURING THE PERIOD COVERED BY THE INVESTIGATION.

"HE RECOMMENDED TO THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY THAT THE CASE SHOULD то BE REFERRED TO THE EXECUTIVE TO THE PANEL ON TAKEOVERS AND MERGERS

INVOLVED

SOME IN PARTIES

OF THE EXAMINE THE ROLE OF CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS COVERED BY THE INVESTIGATION," MR CARTLAND SAID.

SHARES UNDER

000 SHARES, THE INSPECTOR ALSO CONCLUDED THAT THERE REMAIN 39,

THE QUANTITY OF THESE THE TRUE OWNERSHIP OF WHICH IS UNCLEAR. IS

CONSIDERED TOO SMALL TO WARRANT A FREEZING ORDER TO BE MADE THE SDIO TO RESTRICT THE TRANSFERABILITY OF SUCH SHARES.

ΤΟ THE "THE NEXT STEP WILL BE FOR THE SFC, AS THE EXECUTIVE

IF ANY, FOLLOW-UP PANEL ON TAKEOVERS AND MERGERS, TO DECIDE WHAT, ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN," MR CARTLAND SAID.

COPIES OF

THE

REPORT ARE NOW

AVAILABLE

FOR SALE AT THE

GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE.

I WOULD LEAVE IT TO THOSE INTERESTED IN THIS CASE TO READ DETAILS SET OUT IN THE REPORT, MR CARTLAND SAID.

0

PROVISIONAL FIGURES OF EXTERNAL TRADE FOR LAST MONTH

THE

1994 SLACK.

APRIL

REMAINED

BOTH RE-EXPORTS AND IMPORTS RECORDED FURTHER INCREASE IN

EXPORTS DOMESTIC WHILE OVER THE SAME MONTH IN 1993,

THE

STATISTICS

THESE ARE SHOWN IN THE PROVISIONAL FIGURES OF EXTERNAL TRADE

RELEASED

CENSUS AND (FRIDAY) BY APRIL DEPARTMENT.

FOR

TODAY

1994, WAS

THE VALUE OF RE-EXPORTS, AT $74.8 BILLION IN APRIL

ON THE OTHER HAND, $7.2 BILLION OR 11% HIGHER THAN A YEAR EARLIER. THE VALUE OF DOMESTIC EXPORTS FELL BY $1.2 BILLION OR 6.7% OVER A YEAR BARLIER TO $16.6 BILLION IN APRIL.

OF TAKING RE-EXPORTS AND DOMESTIC EXPORTS TOGETHER, THE VALUE

BILLION IN TOTAL EXPORTS INCREASED BY $6.0 BILLION OR 7.0% TO $91.4 APRIL 1994.

MEANWHILE, THE VALUE OF IMPORTS INCREASED BY $8.3 BILLION

OR 8.8% TO $101.9 BILLION.

AS THE VALUE OF TOTAL EXPORTS IN APRIL WAS SMALLER THAN THAT OF TOTAL IMPORTS, A VISIBLE TRADE DEFICIT OF $10.5 BILLION, EQUIVALENT TO 10% OF THE VALUE OF IMPORTS, WAS RECORDED.

/THIS COMPARED