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Compared with the third quarter of 1996, and bearing in mind that this comparison might be affected by seasonal factors, significant increases in business receipts of 29% and 20% were recorded in the hotels and financing (except banking) industries. Business receipts in the banking industry rose by 12%.

Table 1 presents provisional business receipts indices for service industries for the fourth quarter of 1996 and revised indices for the third quarter of 1996, with the quarterly average of business receipts in 1992 taken as 100. Also tabulated are comparisons of the results of the fourth quarter of 1996 with those of the third quarter of 1996 and the fourth quarter of 1995. Comparisons of total business receipts in 1996 with 1995 are also given.

Table 2 shows the time series of quarterly business receipts indices. Annual indices are also included.

Statistics on banking are obtained from the Hong Kong Monetary Authority; and those on retail and restaurants businesses are obtained from two existing surveys regularly conducted by the Census and Statistics Department.

The report "Quarterly Business Receipts Indices for Service Industries, Fourth Quarter 1996" is now on sale at $8 per copy at the Government Publications Centre of the Information Services Department, Queensway Government Offices, Low Block, Ground Floor, 66 Queensway, Hong Kong. It can also be purchased from the Publications Unit of the Census and Statistics Department, 19th floor, Wanchai Tower, 12 Harbour Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong.

Enquiries about the survey results may be directed to the Business Services Statistics Section of the Census and Statistics Department at Tel. 2894 8120.