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The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) published today (May 20) the May 2011 issue of the Hong Kong Monthly Digest of Statistics (HKMDS).
In this issue, three feature articles entitled "Container statistics, 2005 to 2010", "The movement of the unemployment rate in 2010" and "The import/export, wholesale and retail trades, and accommodation and food services sectors in Hong Kong" are included.
"Container statistics, 2005 to 2010"
The container throughput of the port of Hong Kong increased from 21.0 million TEUs in 2009 to 23.7 million TEUs in 2010, maintaining its status as one of the busiest ports in the world. Laden container movements between Hong Kong and the mainland of China (the Mainland) accounted for 37.5% of the laden container throughput of the port of Hong Kong in 2010. About 72.3% of Mainland-Hong Kong laden container movements were between Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta region. This feature article provides a detailed analysis of the container statistics of the port of Hong Kong from 2005 to 2010.
For enquiries about this feature article, please call the Shipping and Cargo Statistics Section, C&SD (Tel: 2582 4889).
"The movement of the unemployment rate in 2010"
Labour market conditions, having staged a gradual turnaround in the second half of 2009, witnessed widespread and notable improvements over the course of 2010, amid the strong pick-up in economic activity and substantial job creation. With improving labour demand, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased progressively from the peak at 5.5% in June - August 2009 to 4.0% in October - December 2010, the lowest level since late 2008.
This feature article provides an analysis of the changes in the unemployment rate in 2010 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 5506).
"The import/export, wholesale and retail trades, and accommodation and food services sectors in Hong Kong"
C&SD conducts annual economic surveys for compiling statistics on the business performance and operating characteristics of various sectors of Hong Kong. The statistics compiled are useful to both the Government and the private sector in formulating policies and making decisions. The sectoral economic statistics, comprising a range of information on various trades, are also useful reference for business operators and investors in decision-making.
This feature article first presents the principal operating characteristics of the import/export, wholesale and retail trades, and accommodation and food services sectors of Hong Kong in 2009, and then analyses the business environment of the sectors, by making reference to some industry averages and analytical ratios derived from statistics on their operating characteristics. The outbreak of global financial tsunami in September 2008 brought about varying degree of negative impacts on these five major sectors. However, with the global economy entering into a stage of recovery since the latter part of 2009, the local economy became stabilised with improved business sentiments among various major sectors. This feature article also attempts to gauge the more recent business performance of the retail trade and food services sectors with reference to the results of related monthly and quarterly surveys in 2010.
For enquiries about this feature article, please call the Distribution Services Statistics Section, C&SD (Tel: 2802 1367).
Published in bilingual form, the HKMDS is a compact volume of official statistics containing about 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$248 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/Friday, May 20, 2011
Issued at HKT 16:02
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