************************************************************
The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) published today (May 20) the May 2010 issue of the Hong Kong Monthly Digest of Statistics (HKMDS).
In this issue, three feature articles entitled "Analysis of Hong Kong's External Merchandise Trade by Mode of Transport", "The Movement of the Unemployment Rate in 2009" and "Analysis of Current Account Statistics in the Balance of Payments Account of Hong Kong, 2000 to 2009" are included.
"Analysis of Hong Kong's External Merchandise Trade by Mode of Transport"
-------------------------------------------------------------
External merchandise trade is one of the important economic activities of Hong Kong. Goods are brought into or out of Hong Kong by various means of transport. In 2009, the value of Hong Kong's external merchandise trade by air and land each accounted for 35.3% of Hong Kong's total value of trade in goods. Another 24.9% was transported by ocean and 3.8% by river. The remaining 0.8% was mainly postal parcels and accompanied goods of passengers travelling on various means of transport.
This feature article analyses the performance and characteristics of Hong Kong's external merchandise trade by mode of transport during the period 1999 to 2009.
For enquiries about this feature article, please call the Trade Analysis Section, C&SD (Tel. : 2582 4914).
"The Movement of the Unemployment Rate in 2009"
------------------------------------------------
The unemployment rate began to move up in the second half of 2008, alongside the slowdown in business activities in both the domestic and external trade sectors due to the global financial tsunami. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate climbed to 5.4% in April - June 2009. The Hong Kong economy exhibited much resilience in countering the global financial tsunami and the ensuing global recession, with the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate began to show signs of improvement starting from the second half of 2009 and decreased to 4.9% in October - December 2009.
This feature article provides an analysis of the changes in the unemployment rate in 2009 from various perspectives. It aims to give readers a better understanding about the recent unemployment situation in Hong Kong.
For enquiries about this feature article, please call the General Household Survey Section (2), C&SD (Tel. : 2887 5508).
"Analysis of Current Account Statistics in the Balance of Payments Account of Hong Kong, 2000 to 2009"
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A Balance of Payments (BoP) Account is an integrated statistical statement that systematically summarises, for a specific time period, the economic transactions of an economy with the rest of the world. A complete BoP Account comprises two broad accounts: (a) the Current Account; and (b) the Capital and Financial Account.
Recorded in the Current Account are gross external transactions which are widely used in economic analysis. They are often used as indicators for studying consumption and investment activities within an economy and in evaluating the economic outlook of the economy.
This feature article briefly explains the concepts of the Current Account and the interpretation of the Current Account Balance. It presents salient features of the Current Account of Hong Kong in the past decade. The latest development in international standards for the compilation of Current Account statistics is also highlighted.
For enquiries about this feature article, please call the Balance of Payments Section (1)1, C&SD (Tel. : 2116 8660).
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 the publication free of charge at the website of C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/products_and_services/products/publications/statistical_report/general_statistical_digest/index.jsp).
Print version of the publication is available for sale at HK$203 per issue. Purchase can be done in person at the Publications Unit of 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 Website (www.censtatd.gov.hk/products_and_services/other_services/provision_of_stat/mail_ordering_of_publications/index.jsp). Print version of the publication is also available for sale online at the Government Bookstore of the Information Services Department (www.bookstore.gov.hk).
Enquiries about the contents of the publication can be directed to the General Statistics Section (1)B of C&SD (Tel. : 2582 4738).
Ends/Thursday, May 20, 2010
Issued at HKT 16:01
NNNN
