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The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) published today (March 20) the March 2007 issue of the Hong Kong Monthly Digest of Statistics (HKMDS).
In this issue, five feature articles entitled "Consumer Price Index and Its Movements during 1997 - 2006", "The Financial Services Sector in Hong Kong", "Enhanced method for compiling statistics on Hong Kong residents having resided / having stayed substantially in the Mainland", "Statistics on Innovation Activities in the Business Sector, 2001 - 2005" and "The Situation of the Four Key Industries in the Hong Kong Economy in 2005" are included.
"Consumer Price Index and Its Movements during 1997 - 2006"
The year-on-year rate of change of the Consumer Price Index is frequently quoted as the indicator of inflation. This feature article analyses the movements of consumer prices in the period 1997 to 2006.
Consumer price inflation rate slowed down gradually from around 6% in 1997 to around 3% in 1998 as a result of the downward adjustments in prices in consequence of the regional financial turmoil in late 1997. In the following six years, i.e. 1999 to 2004, the CPIs generally registered annual decreases due to the weakness of the global economy and increasing integration of the Hong Kong economy with that of the Mainland. It reverted to annual increases in 2005 and 2006 along with the improved economic conditions.
Apart from analysing the movements of the CPIs in the past decade, this feature article also focuses on price changes at various commodity/service section level.
For enquiries about this feature article, please call the Consumer Price Index Section, C&SD (Tel: 2805 6401).
"The Financial Services Sector in Hong Kong"
The C&SD compiles and releases annually statistics on the structure and operating characteristics of various sectors in Hong Kong so as to facilitate in-depth analyses of these sectors. This feature article presents the development of the financial services sector in Hong Kong between 2003 and 2005.
For enquiries about this feature article, please call the Business Services Statistics Section, C&SD (Tel: 2802 1269).
"Enhanced method for compiling statistics on Hong Kong residents having resided / having stayed substantially in the Mainland"
The C&SD had conducted a round of Thematic Household Survey (THS) during November 2004 to January 2005 to collect information on the socio-economic characteristics of Hong Kong residents having resided / having stayed substantially in the Mainland (HKRM) and their experience while staying in the Mainland. Recently, the Department had collated relevant information on HKRM. With reference to the administrative data on passenger movement of Hong Kong residents, the method for compiling statistics on HKRM was enhanced. This feature article describes the enhanced method for compiling statistics on HKRM and presents the revised survey findings of THS on the basis of the enhanced method.
For enquiries about this feature article, please call the Social Surveys Section, C&SD (Tel: 2887 0416).
"Statistics on Innovation Activities in the Business Sector, 2001 - 2005"
Statistics on innovation activities in the business sector are useful in shedding light on the diffusion of innovation activities in the economy and offer insight into possible development areas. This feature article analyses the statistics on innovation activities in the business sector for 2001 to 2005.
From a wider perspective by taking technological and non-technological innovation as a whole, the percentage of firms that had undertaken innovation activities increased from 16% in 2001 to 48% in 2005.
For enquiries about this feature article, please call the Science and Technology Statistics Section, C&SD (Tel: 2887 5138).
"The Situation of the Four Key Industries in the Hong Kong Economy in 2005"
Financial services, trading and logistics, tourism, and producer and professional services are the Four Key Industries in the Hong Kong economy. They have been the driving force of Hong Kong's economic growth, providing impetus to growth of other sectors and creating employment.
A feature article analysing the economic contribution and employment situation in 2004 in respect of the Four Key Industries was published in the March 2006 issue of the report HKMDS. The present article is an updated version of the article published in March 2006, with data on the Four Key Industries for 2005 incorporated.
For enquiries about this feature article, please call the National Income Section (2)1, C&SD (Tel: 2116 5188).
Published in bilingual form, the HKMDS is a compact volume of official statistics containing 140 tables. It collects up-to-date statistical series on various aspects of the social and economic situation of Hong Kong. Topics include population and vital events; labour; external trade; industrial production; land, housing, building and construction; transport, communications and tourism; public accounts, money and finance; prices; commerce; social conditions; energy; and national income and Balance of Payments. For selected key statistical items, over 20 charts depicting the annual trend in the past decade and quarterly or monthly trend in the recent two years are also available.
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$100 per issue. Purchase can be done in person at the Publications Unit of the C&SD (Address: 19/F Wanchai Tower, 12 Harbour Road, Wan Chai; Tel: 2582 3025) or through mail order by returning a completed 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). Print version of this publication is also available for sale online at the Statistical Bookstore and the Government Bookstore of the Information Services Department (www.bookstore.gov.hk). Print versions if purchased online are offered a discount, at 85% of their original prices.
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Enquiries about the contents of this publication can be directed to the General Statistics Section (1)B of the C&SD (Tel: 2582 4738).
Ends/Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Issued at HKT 16:00
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