The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) released today (November 30) the results of the 2016 Annual Survey of Economic Activities - Information and Communications, Financing and Insurance, Professional and Business Services Sectors.

     Amongst the industry sectors covered by the survey, the financing (except banking) industry recorded the largest total receipts (comprising business receipts and other income) in 2016, followed by the insurance industry and the banking industry. The other industry sectors in descending order in terms of total receipts were information and communications; administrative and support service activities; and professional, scientific and technical activities.

     In the financing (except banking) industry, total receipts amounted to $603.1 billion in 2016, representing a decline of 3.8% compared with 2015. On a per establishment basis, total receipts decreased by 5.8% compared with 2015 to $74.6 million in 2016. Operating expenses and compensation of employees together increased by 2.4% year-on-year to $212.9 billion in 2016. Gross surplus, which is equal to total receipts less operating expenses, compensation of employees and (where applicable) value of purchases of goods for sale, decreased from $419.1 billion in 2015 to $390.2 billion in 2016, accounting for 64.7% of total receipts in 2016. Value added, which provides a measure of the contribution of this industry to Hong Kong's Gross Domestic Product (GDP), decreased by 2.0% compared with 2015 to $86.5 billion in 2016. In 2016, the financing (except banking) industry comprised about 8 100 establishments and engaged about 84 800 persons, or an average of 10.5 persons per establishment.

     In the insurance industry, total receipts increased by 11.7% over 2015 to $513.1 billion in 2016. On a per establishment basis, total receipts increased by 9.7% compared with 2015 to $194.5 million in 2016. Operating expenses and compensation of employees together increased by 26.3% year-on-year to $62.7 billion in 2016. In 2016, the insurance industry comprised about 2 600 establishments and engaged about 78 600 persons, or an average of 29.8 persons per establishment.

     In the banking industry, total receipts amounted to $377.6 billion in 2016, representing a decline of 6.8% compared with 2015. On a per establishment basis, total receipts decreased by 5.3% compared with 2015 to $1.5 billion in 2016. Operating expenses and compensation of employees together decreased by 2.1% year-on-year to $188.2 billion in 2016. In 2016, the banking industry comprised 253 establishments and engaged about 103 200 persons, or an average of 407.8 persons per establishment.

     In compiling gross surplus and value added of the banking industry and the insurance industry, other data sources are required to supplement the data collected through this survey and these statistics are to be compiled under the framework of GDP. Statistics on value added of these two industries are released by the C&SD separately.

     In the information and communications sector, total receipts amounted to $200.1 billion in 2016, representing a decrease of 3.1% compared with 2015. On a per establishment basis, total receipts decreased by 4.2% compared with 2015 to $19.7 million in 2016. Operating expenses and compensation of employees together increased by 0.7% year-on-year to $136.3 billion in 2016. Gross surplus increased from $43.1 billion in 2015 to $45.7 billion in 2016, accounting for 22.9% of total receipts in 2016. Value added increased by 4.6% compared with 2015 to $82.7 billion in 2016. In 2016, the information and communications sector comprised about 10 200 establishments and engaged about 106 900 persons, or an average of 10.5 persons per establishment.

     In the administrative and support service activities sector, total receipts amounted to $153.1 billion in 2016, representing a slight decrease of 0.6% compared with 2015. On a per establishment basis, total receipts edged up by 0.8% compared with 2015 to $13.0 million in 2016. Operating expenses and compensation of employees together decreased marginally by 0.9% year-on-year to $141.2 billion in 2016. Gross surplus increased from $10.7 billion in 2015 to $11.2 billion in 2016, accounting for 7.3% of total receipts in 2016. Value added increased by 4.6% compared with 2015 to $51.1 billion in 2016. In 2016, the administrative and support service activities sector comprised about 11 800 establishments and engaged about 228 700 persons, or an average of 19.4 persons per establishment.

     In the professional, scientific and technical activities sector, total receipts amounted to $143.5 billion in 2016, representing an increase of 4.6% compared with 2015. On a per establishment basis, total receipts increased by 3.5% compared with 2015 to $5.5 million in 2016. Operating expenses and compensation of employees together increased by 5.9% year-on-year to $115.6 billion in 2016. Gross surplus amounted to $26.9 billion in 2016, similar to that in 2015, and accounted for 18.7% of total receipts in 2016. Value added increased by 6.3% compared with 2015 to $78.3 billion in 2016. In 2016, the professional, scientific and technical activities sector comprised about 26 100 establishments and engaged about 144 000 persons, or an average of 5.5 persons per establishment.

     Selected statistics for the sectors mentioned above are shown in the attached table. More detailed statistics will be given in the report "Key Statistics on Business Performance and Operating Characteristics of the Information and Communications, Financing and Insurance, Professional and Business Services Sectors in 2016". Users can download this report (in PDF format) free of charge at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/hkstat/sub/sp350.jsp?productCode=B1080013) as from end-December 2017.

     For enquiries about the key statistics on business performance and operating characteristics of the information and communications, financing and insurance, professional and business services sectors, please contact the Business Services Statistics Section of the C&SD (Tel: 3903 7268 or email: business-services@censtatd.gov.hk).

Ends/Thursday, November 30, 2017
Issued at HKT 16:30

NNNN