News

Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the Composite CPI (131.20) for July 2014 increased by 5.92% year-on-year, attributable to higher rentals for dwellings and dearer charges for eating out. In comparison with July 2013, notable increase was observed in the price index of Housing & Fuels (+11.45%); Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages (+6.10%); and Recreation & Culture (+4.84%) on account of rising rentals, dearer prices of Liquefied Petroleum Gas and fresh meat, as well as higher charges for eating out, package tours and recreational & sporting services. On the contrary, price index of Clothing & Footwear decreased by 0.52%. The CPI-A (131.83) and CPI-B (131.57) increased by 6.41% and 5.78% respectively year-on-year. The Composite CPI for July 2014 increased by 0.37% month-to-month. Higher charges for package tours and rising rentals pushed up the price index of Recreation & Culture and Housing & Fuels by 2.39% and 0.74% respectively. Price index of Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages increased by 0.34% owing to rising charges for eating out and dearer prices of fresh pork, live chickens and vegetables, while lower prices of fruits, fresh fish and seafood tapered off the increase. On the other hand, price index of Clothing & Footwear decreased by 1.96% upon seasonal sale of Summer clothing. The CPI-A and CPI-B increased by 0.39% and 0.32% respectively month-to-month. For the 12 months ended July 2014, the average Composite CPI increased by 5.99% from the previous period. Price index of Housing & Fuels (+11.62%); Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages (+6.42%); and Household Goods & Furnishings (+6.00%) registered remarkable increase, while price index of Communication decreased by 1.21%. The average CPI-A and CPI-B rose by 6.57% and 5.87% respectively. The average Composite CPI for the first seven months of 2014 increased by 6.11% year-on-year; the average CPI-A and CPI-B rose by 6.65% and 6.01% respectively year-on-year. The 2008/2009-based Composite CPI reflects the impact of price changes on the general population. The CPI-A relates to about 50% of the households, which have an average monthly expenditure of MOP6,000 to MOP18,999. The CPI-B relates to about 30% of the households, which have an average monthly expenditure of MOP19,000 to MOP34,999.
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According to the statistics released today by the Monetary Authority of Macao, the proportion of international business in the local banking sector further advanced in the second quarter of 2014. At end-June 2014, the share of international assets in total banking assets climbed to 87.2% from 86.8% at end-March 2014, while the share of international liabilities in total banking liabilities grew to 82.8% from 82.1%. Foreign currencies were the dominant denomination in international banking transactions. At end-June 2014, the shares of Pataca (MOP) in total international assets and total international liabilities were 0.8% and 1.5% respectively. Hong Kong Dollar (HKD) and Other Foreign Currencies (OFCs) accounted for 35.7% and 63.6% of total international assets as well as 41.0% and 57.5% of total international liabilities respectively. International Banking Assets
At end-June 2014, total international assets advanced by 9.5% from a quarter ago or 32.9% from a year earlier to MOP1,018.9 billion (USD127.6 billion). Within this total, external assets increased by 29.3% year-on-year to MOP779.6 billion while local assets in foreign currencies jumped by 46.2% to MOP239.3 billion. As a major component of international assets, external loans & deposits grew by 28.3% to MOP719.7 billion. International Banking Liabilities
Total international liabilities increased by 10.1% from three months ago or 31.9% year-on-year to MOP968.4 billion (USD121.3 billion). Of this total, external liabilities and local liabilities in foreign currencies expanded year-on-year by 31.6% to MOP504.5 billion and 32.2% to MOP463.9 billion respectively. Foreign currency deposits held by residents and the MSAR government continued to form a major component of international liabilities. This type of deposits grew by 29.1% to MOP425.0 billion at end-June 2014 from MOP329.3 billion at end-June 2013. Breakdown of External Banking Assets and Liabilities by Region
The majority of external assets and liabilities were related to the regions of Asia and Europe. At end-June 2014, claims on Mainland China, Hong Kong and Singapore occupied 37.6%, 29.6% and 1.9% of total external assets correspondingly, while claims on Portugal, Luxembourg and Germany took up 7.3%, 1.5% and 1.0% respectively. On external liabilities, Hong Kong, Mainland China and Thailand accounted for 39.9%, 25.1% and 8.4% of the total respectively while France, Portugal and Germany took up respective shares of 3.6%, 3.4% and 2.3%. The compilation of International Banking Statistics follows the methodology advocated by the Bank for International Settlements in order to facilitate Macao SAR's participation in the "Locational International Banking Statistics" project of the international organisation.
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The exhibition Collotype • Recurrence – Spatial Convergence of John Thomson and Wong Ho Sang organized by the Macao Museum under the Cultural Affairs Bureau, which has been open to the public for nearly three months, will close on 31 August (Sunday). The Macao Museum welcomes all visitors to this important show which has been attracting many people.
The exhibition showcases the best photographic works of 19th century British photographer John Thomson taken during a trip in China from 1868 to 1872. In order to provide visitors with a better understanding of this precious works by John Thomson, the Macao Museum displays works produced by four different methods – including high resolution images produced by "collotype", the most advanced printing technique at the time, copper plate etchings adopted to bulk copy pictures, copies of original photographs produced by wet plate photography, and images of "glass negative produced by wet plate photography" by a contemporary photographer employing the same equipment and methods of John Thomson. The works exhibited not only allow the public to know more about the Chinese society and civilization a century and a half ago, but also provide more information about the development of photographic methods and techniques.
The second section presents works obtained via wet plate processing by contemporary Macao photographer Wong Ho Sang and the equipment he used. These works and equipment relate to the public the difficulties John Thomson encountered when he tried to overcome the limitations of the photographic techniques of the time, and attempted to leave images of high resolution to posterity incorporating printing techniques into the production of images. In addition, visitors are welcome to join the guided tours provided by the Macao Museum and learn more about the contribution of John Thomson to documentary photography.
To further promote the theme of this exhibition, the Macao Museum set up The Mystery of Wet Plate Photography escape game in the education zone of the exhibition, which has been very popular among teenagers. Over 8,000 people have played it so far. The Macao Museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00am to 6:00pm (ticket booth closes at 5:30pm) and is closed on Mondays. Macao ID cardholders and Macao student cardholders can visit the Museum for free on Sundays upon showing the respective cards. For enquiries about the exhibition and guided tours for the public, please call the Macao Museum through (853) 2835 7911 during office hours or visit www.macaumuseum.gov.mo or www.icm.gov.mo.
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that total spending (excluding gaming expenses) of visitors in the second quarter of 2014 reached MOP16.3 billion, up by 17% from MOP13.9 billion in the second quarter of 2013. Spending of overnight visitors totalled MOP13.8 billion and that of same-day visitors was MOP2.5 billion, up by 18% and 12% respectively year-on-year. Per-capita spending of visitors in the second quarter of 2014 was MOP2,141, up by 9% year-on-year. Mainland visitors spent an average of MOP2,659, an increase of 6% year-on-year, and spending of those travelling under the Individual Visit Scheme (IVS) was MOP2,973. Per-capita spending of visitors from Japan surged by 41% year-on-year, at MOP2,029, and that of visitors from Singapore (MOP1,866) and Malaysia (MOP1,711) also registered increase. Visitors from Australia had relatively high per-capita spending among the long-haul visitors, at MOP1,609. Per-capita spending of overnight visitors was MOP3,915, up by 15% year-on-year, while that of same-day visitors edged down by 1%, at MOP610. Per-capita spending of overnight and same-day Mainland visitors topped at MOP4,926 and MOP732 respectively, and that of overnight and same-day IVS visitors reached MOP5,602 and MOP1,209. Moreover, per-capita spending of overnight visitors from Taiwan was MOP3,536. Analysed by consumption structure, visitors spent mainly on Shopping (49%), Accommodation (26%) and Food & Beverage (19%) in the second quarter of 2014; shopping spending of overnight and same-day visitors accounted for 45% and 70% of their per-capita total. Per-capita shopping spending of visitors was MOP1,049 and shopping items included Clothing (20%), Handbags & Shoes (19%) and Local Food Products (19%). Mainland visitors spent an average of MOP1,478 on shopping and that of IVS visitors reached MOP1,899. Meanwhile, long-haul visitors spent primarily on Accommodation and Food & Beverage. According to the results of Visitors' Comments Survey in the second quarter, about 89% of the visitor-users were satisfied with the services of travel agencies, and 88% complimented about the services and facilities of hotels; however, merely 41% of the visitors commented that points of tourist attractions were adequate, and 17% considered that public transport services should be improved.
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In addressing to the issue of lacking of dormitories of some local tertiary educational institutions, leading students have to face the difficulties of renting a place in the market and the issue of continuous rising of rental, the Macao SAR Government has decided to implement a one year temporarily measure of lending and renting dormitories of the old campus of the University of Macau (UM) to those needed territory educational institutions. As to the planning of the future usage of the old campus, the SAR Government has decided earlier that the site will continuously mainly be used in the area of tertiary education. The SAR Government is now reviewing different factors such as the direction of development of those related tertiary educational institutions, their scale and the need of development of the society in planning the usage of the old UM campus. The preliminary plan is to address the needs of development of territory educational institutions so as to achieve the effect of sharing recourses and allocating all recourses to the best use. Considering the idea that after UM moved to its new campus in the Hengqin Island, its buildings of dormitory are vacated and in addressing to the pressing needs of dormitory of some territory educational institutions, after deliberation with those related departments, the SAR Government has decided to implement temporarily measure in the usage of those old UM dormitories. The Macau Polytechnic Institute and the Institute for Tourism Studies, the two public educational institutions, are assigned three buildings of the old UM student dormitories. The Macau University of Science and Technology is also arranged to rent some of the dormitories, but is required to move out after the new building of its new dormitory is completed. As the above mentioned measure of the usage of those buildings of UM old dormitory is temporarily, it will not affect the overall planning of the usage of the old UM campus.
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For seven years, international government leaders, businesses, professionals, financial institutions, investors and non-government organisations have converged in Macao to actively participate in the collective effort to address environmental issues of global concern. The Macao International Environmental Co-operation Forum & Exhibition (MIECF), an innovative event hosted by the Macao SAR Government to promote international environmental co-operation, is also in line with China's efforts to achieve specific objectives for a low carbon society, as well as raise public awareness and improve living conditions for all mankind. Since its inception in 2008 in Macao, MIECF has grown from strength to strength and is regarded a success by delegates, exhibitors and the international community. The 8th MIECF will be held from 26 to 28 March in the Venetian Macao-Resort-Hotel. Koelnmesse Pte Ltd is the Event Manager for the 2015MIECF. We are pleased to invite interested service providers to submit a quotation and proposal. The range of services being tendered for is: Please read attachment! Interested parties are invited to submit their quotation and proposal, the submission deadline is 5pm on 5 September 2014. Full information on the quotation and proposal procedures and specifications can be obtained from the website at www.macaomiecf.com.
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that a total of 4,158 building units and parking spaces were purchased and sold at MOP28.97 billion in the second quarter of 2014 as per Stamp Duty record, up by 8% and 29% respectively quarter-to-quarter. Purchase and sale of residential units totalled 2,462 at MOP17.62 billion, up by 24% and 45% respectively quarter-to-quarter; total value of pre-sale residential units (587) and existing residential units (1,875) amounted to MOP7.20 billion and MOP10.42 billion respectively. With high-end new properties being offered for sale in the second quarter, the average price of all residential units increased by 25% quarter-to-quarter to MOP111,542 per square metre of usable area. The average price of pre-sale residential units increased by 48% quarter-to-quarter, at MOP185,886 per square metre; the average price of those in the Macao Peninsula and Taipa increased by 52% and 38% respectively. Analysed by district, pre-sale residential units in NAPE & Aterros da Baía da Praia Grande (382) accounted for 65% of the total, and the average price was MOP238,144 per square meter, up by 38% quarter-to-quarter. The average price of existing residential units increased by 9% quarter-to-quarter to MOP86,969 per square meter; the average price of those in the Macao Peninsula and Taipa increased by 8% and 12% respectively, but the price of those in Coloane dropped by 13%. Analysed by district, many of these units purchased and sold were in Baixa da Taipa (222), Novos Aterros da Areia Preta (NATAP) (220) and Barca (162), and the average price was MOP94,857, MOP115,182 and MOP64,544 respectively per square metre. Analysed by year of completion, there were 971 residential units built more than 20 years ago (130 in Barca, 110 in Barra / Manduco) and the average price was MOP67,249 per square metre, up by 8% quarter-to-quarter. For the 572 residential units completed between 11 to 20 years ago (124 in Baixa da Taipa, 81 in NATAP), the average price held stable as the previous quarter, at MOP80,770 per square metre. The average price of the 224 residential units completed within 5 years or less (89 in NATAP, 29 in Baixa da Taipa) increased by 26%, at MOP140,751 per square metre. Analysed by usable floor area, there were 1,096 small-sized residential units having a floor area of less than 50 square metres, and the average price rose significantly by 60% quarter-to-quarter to MOP128,046 per square metre; pre-sale residential units accounted for 29%, with an average price of MOP223,565 per square metre. For the 1,002 residential units having a floor area of 50.0 to 99.9 square metres, the average price rose by 29% to MOP104,913 per square metre. The average price of office units and industrial units was MOP119,576 and MOP58,555 per square metre, up by 5% and 26% respectively quarter-to-quarter. In the second quarter of 2014, there were 3,214 real estate sale contracts signed, involving 4,106 properties, up by 36% quarter-to-quarter; meanwhile, 4,216 mortgage contracts were signed, involving 8,531 properties, up notably by 83%. As regards construction in the private sector, gross floor area of construction of new buildings in the second quarter totalled 40,256 square metres, providing 106 units upon completion. Meanwhile, gross floor area of buildings completed totalled 268,520 square metres, altogether providing 1,611 units.
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According to statistics released today by the Monetary Authority of Macao, new SME lending approved by Macao banks continued to grow in the first half of 2014. Concurrently, the utilisation of SME credit in proportion to the credit limit approved by banks remained stable when compared with the previous survey period. New lending approved In the first half of 2014, new SME credit limit approved by Macao banks totalled MOP23.2 billion, up by 42.5% from the second half year of 2013 or 84.0% from the same period last year. The collateralised ratio, which indicates the proportion of credit limit with tangible assets pledged, was 75.3%, down 2.4 percentage points when compared with the last survey period but up marginally by 0.1 percentage point when compared with the same period of 2013. Credit utilisation As at end-June 2014, the outstanding value of total SME loans increased 28.9% from end-2013 or 57.9% from a year earlier to MOP52.1 billion. When compared with end-2013, SME loans to "wholesale and retail trade", "construction and public works" and "transport, warehouse and communications" increased at respective rates of 64.5%, 31.7% and 17.1%, whereas those to "electricity, gas and water", "education" and "agriculture and fisheries" dropped 49.4%, 8.7% and 6.1% respectively. The utilisation rate, defined as the proportion of outstanding credit balance to the credit limit granted, dropped 0.6 percentage points from six months ago to 64.4%. Delinquent loans At the end of June 2014, the outstanding balance of delinquent SME loans decreased by 1.5% from six months ago to MOP142.4 million. Compared to a year ago, the balance dropped 13.8%. The delinquency ratio, a ratio of delinquent loans outstanding balance to total SME loans outstanding, dropped 0.08 percentage points from end-2013 or 0.23 percentage points from a year earlier to 0.27%.
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Aiming to implement the Guangdong-Macao Cooperation Framework Agreement, further expand the trade and economic cooperation horizons between Guangdong Province and Macao SAR and to jointly promote the development of Guangdong and Macao´s MICE industry, following the success of the 2013 Macao-Foshan Famous Products Fair, held in Foshan last year, Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM) and the Bureau of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation of Jiangmen Municipality will jointly organize the 2014 Macao-Jiangmen Famous Products Fair, which will take place on December 5-7 at the Wuyi Overseas Chinese Plaza Exhibition Center, located in Jiangmen Municipality, Guangdong Province. The coverage of the 2014 Macao-Jiangmen Famous Products Fair will include: MinM (Made in Macao), souvenirs, cultural and creative products, consumer goods, food, wine, products from the Portuguese-Speaking Countries, and other commodities. Famous and high-quality Macao and Jiangmen products will be on display and for sale to the residents of Jiangmen and neighbouring areas. During the Fair, apart from business matching and procurement negotiation sessions, there are also cultural performances. The said Fair is designed as a meeting and cooperation platform between Macao and Jiangmen enterprises as well as a channel to help Macao enterprises to expand to the domestic markets of Mainland China, by promoting, in a pragmatic way, the economic and trade cooperation between Guangdong and Macau, by offering a rich and diversified content on site. In order to encourage local businesses to participate in the above-mentioned event as exhibitors, Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute has especially set up an incentive plan with the following concessions: standard booth, accommodation, transportation, round-trip freight and temporary work arrangements. Eligible Macao enterprises are only required to pay MOP2,000.00 for a standard booth or MOP1,800.00 for a raw exhibition space. The scope of the exhibition will include: products made in Macao, Macao´s branded products and overseas branded products with distribution channels in Macao (priority will be given to products made in the Portuguese-Speaking Countries). Active participation from Macao enterprises is welcome, with a view to tapping business opportunities. Interested local enterprises are invited to contact Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (World Trade Centre, 4th Floor), to obtain the relevant application form and to deal with the application process from 18th to 29th August, during office hours. Due to the limited number of booths available, distribution of the booths will be processed on a first come, first served basis. Final decision on the selection of exhibitors rests with the Organizers. For application and enquiries, please call 8798 9262 (Mr. Leong), 8798 9267 (Mr. Chang) or 8798 9295 (Ms. Leong).
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Consumer Council conducted its specific price survey on tissue papers on 12 August for the implementation of Section 2b), Article 10, Law 4/95/M of 12 June. Result of the mentioned survey has been uploaded to the Council's website (www.consumer.gov.mo) and is available in the Council's 'Supermarket Price Information Platform' iPhone and Android apps. For inquiry, please call the Council's hotline: 8988 9315.
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