*******************************************************
The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) published today (November 20) the November 2006 issue of the Hong Kong Monthly Digest of Statistics (HKMDS).
In this issue, three feature articles entitled "Hong Kong's Trade Involving Outward Processing in the Mainland of China, 1995-2005", "Labour Productivity Index for Major Economic Activities, 2000-2005" and "Statistics on Hong Kong's External Transactions and Positions of Financial Derivatives" are included.
"Hong Kong's Trade Involving Outward Processing in the Mainland of China, 1995-2005"
Outward processing activities play an important role in Hong Kong's trade with the Mainland. According to the "Survey on Trade Involving Outward Processing in the Mainland of China" conducted by the C&SD, the proportions of Hong Kong's trade with the Mainland involving outward processing activities remained high in 2005, ranging from 38% in re-exports to the Mainland to 79% in re-exports of the Mainland origin to other places.
Feature articles addressing this subject have been published regularly since 1995. This feature article describes Hong Kong's trade involving outward processing in the Mainland during the period from 1995 to 2005.
For enquiries about this feature article, please call the Trade Surveys and Research Section, C&SD (Tel.: 2582 5255).
"Labour Productivity Index for Major Economic Activities, 2000-2005"
Labour Productivity Index (LPI) is a very important economic indicator of an economy. It shows how efficient labour input is used for generating real output and how useful it is in analysing the contributions to various industries and the economy brought about by changes in labour productivity. Factors affecting changes in LPI include changes in technology, organisational structures, management practices and capital, etc.
This feature article outlines the methods and data sources for compiling LPIs in Hong Kong as well as analyses LPI for major economic activities during 2000 to 2005.
For enquiries about this feature article, please call the Logistics and Producer Prices Statistics Section, C&SD (Tel.: 2894 8402).
"Statistics on Hong Kong's External Transactions and Positions of Financial Derivatives"
The volume and importance of transactions in derivative instruments have grown rapidly in Hong Kong in recent years, in particular the remarkable development of the derivative warrants market.
This feature article briefly describes financial derivative instruments and the compilation of statistics on Hong Kong's external transactions and positions of financial derivatives. Salient features of these statistics are highlighted in this feature article.
For enquiries about this feature article, please call the Balance of Payments Branch (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 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$80 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.isd.gov.hk/eng/bookorder.htm). Print versions if purchased online are offered a discount, at 85% of their original prices.
Enquiries about the contents of the HKMDS can be directed to the General Statistics Section (1)B of the C&SD (Tel: 2582 4738).
Ends/Monday, November 20, 2006
Issued at HKT 16:00
NNNN