Quarterly Business Receipts Indices for Service Industries for the Second Quarter of 2006
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    Business receipts in value terms of almost all surveyed service industries increased in the second quarter of 2006 over a year earlier, according to the provisional business receipts indices released today (September 12) by the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD).

     Compared with the same period a year ago, business receipts of the financing (except banking) industry for the second quarter of 2006 increased substantially by 57.7%, following the robust growth of 50.8% recorded in the first quarter of 2006.  These increases were mainly fuelled by the buoyant local stock market.

     Other service industries that recorded more notable increases in business receipts included the banking (+24.1%), insurance (+21.3%), business services (+17.4%), hotels (+15.4%), transport (+12.5%) and restaurants (+11.1%).

     On the other hand, business receipts of the real estate industry decreased by 5.1%.

     Analysed by service domain, comparing the second quarter of 2006 with the same quarter a year earlier, business receipts of the tourism, convention and exhibition services domain significantly increased by 17.9%, mainly attributable to the growth in inbound tourism.  Business receipts of the computer and information services domain remained virtually unchanged.

     Comparing the second quarter of 2006 with the first quarter of 2006, and bearing in mind that this comparison might be affected by seasonal factors, business receipts of most service industries increased.  Among service industries which recorded increases in business receipts, larger increases were recorded in the import and export trade (+9.3%) and banking (+7.4%) industries.  On the other hand, among service industries which recorded decreases in business receipts, a larger decrease was recorded in the film entertainment industry (-2.9%).

     Table 1 presents provisional business receipts indices for service industries and service domains for the second quarter of 2006, while Table 2 shows the time series of the business receipts indices for the recent five quarters.

     Data for compiling the business receipts indices are mainly from the Quarterly Survey of Service Industries conducted by the C&SD, supplemented by relevant data provided by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority and the Hong Kong Tourism Board.

     A service domain differs from a service industry in that it comprises those economic activities straddling different industries but are somehow related to a common theme.  It may include all activities carried out by all establishments in a service industry that is closely related to the domain.  For a service industry that is less closely related, however, only a portion of the establishments in the industry or even only part of the economic activities of the establishments is related to the domain.  Taking tourism as an example, it includes all activities of all hotels and travel agents; and some (those involving visitors as customers) but not all of the activities of restaurants, retailers and transport operators.

     Details on the compilation method of the business receipts indices are given in the report "Quarterly Business Receipts Indices for Service Industries, Second Quarter 2006".
 
     Users can download this publication free of charge at the "Statistical Bookstore, Hong Kong" (www.statisticalbookstore.gov.hk) of the C&SD.

     Print version of this publication is available for sale at HK$11 per issue if purchased in person at the Publications Unit of the C&SD (19/F Wanchai Tower, 12 Harbour Road, Wan Chai; Tel. : 2582 3025) or through mail order by completing and returning an order form which can be downloaded from the C&SD's website (www.censtatd.gov.hk/products_and_services/other_services/provision_of_stat/mail_ordering_of_publications/index.jsp); or at HK$9.4 per copy if purchased online at the Statistical Bookstore and the Government Bookstore of the Information Services Department (www.isd.gov.hk/eng/bookorder.htm).  

     Enquiries about survey results can be directed to the Business Services Statistics Section of the C&SD at Tel. 2802 1269.

Ends/Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Issued at HKT 16:15

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