News

Tissue and toilet paper are essential to consumers' daily lives but their prices tend to fluctuate during the past few months. Consumer Council therefore conducted a specific price survey on tissue and toilet paper, surveying 11 samples in 25 different local retail spots. According to its 'Supermarket Price Survey Report', Consumer Council stated that prices of tissue and toilet paper fluctuated in the past few months. As this category of household product is essential to consumers, the Council conducted a new specific price survey on tissue and toilet paper to gather price information on the market for consumers' reference. In the current price survey report, significant price differences were observed in both 'C & S (Toilet Paper, Orange), 10 pcs' and 'Aus & New Golden Soft Tissue, 10 pcs', where price difference between the highest and lowest price amounted to over 40%; prices of other surveyed samples varied from 10 to 20%. The specific price survey report on tissue and toilet paper is now available online on the Council's official website (http://www.consumer.gov.mo). Further, Consumer Council, in collaboration with Land, Public Works and Transport Bureau (DSSOPT), published a brochure of 'Definition and Concept of Saleable Area and Saleable Ratio'. The brochure covers definition of unit gross floor area, saleable area and saleable ratio. It is now available on the Council's official website and at its two offices, Public Information Center located at Vicky Plaza (Rua do Campo), office of General Union of Neighbors Association of Macau and Macao Federation of Trade Unions. For enquiries, please call 8988 9315.
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service indicated that a total of 380 MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions & Exhibitions) events were held in various venues in the fourth quarter of 2010, up by 1% year-on-year; the average duration increased from 2.1 days in the fourth quarter of 2009 to 2.7 days; number of participants and attendees totalled 220,163, down by 4% year-on-year. A total of 17 exhibitions were held in the fourth quarter of 2010, a decrease of 2 year-on-year; number of attendees decreased by 5% to 182,427; however, the average duration increased from 2.8 days to 3.5 days. Concurrently, 363 meetings & conferences were held, bringing together 37,736 participants, up by 2% and 1% year-on-year; the average duration stood at 2.7 days, an increase of 0.6 day. As regards subject of MICE events, the majority focused on Commerce, Trade & Management (167), IT & Other Technology (59), Medical & Health (33) and Banking & Finance (30). Analyzed by type, most of the events were Corporate Meetings (190), Association Meetings (70), Incentive Meeting/Travel & Others (41) and Government Meetings (40). There were 268 MICE events held in hotels, including 256 meetings & conferences and 12 exhibitions. The average duration increased from 2.5 days in the fourth quarter of 2009 to 3.3 days, drawing a total of 168,665 participants and attendees, with 86% being exhibition attendees (144,886 participants). In addition, 112 MICE events were held in convention & exhibition centres and other conference venues; the average duration stood at 1.4 days, bringing in 51,498 participants and attendees. For the whole year of 2010, a total of 1,399 MICE events were held, an increase of 184 (+15%) year-on-year. The average duration increased from 2.0 days in 2009 to 2.5 days; number of participants and attendees reached 806,135, up by 41% year-on-year. Among these events, 57 exhibitions attracted 656,303 participants and attendees; average duration extended from 3.1 days to 4.3 days. Meetings & conferences accounted for 1,342, the average duration increased from 2.0 days to 2.4 days and number of participants totalled 149,832. Analysed by subject of MICE events, the majority focused on Commerce, Trade & Management (531), IT & Other Technology (191), Banking & Finance (121) and Education & Training (120). Analyzed by type, most of the events were Corporate Meetings (617) and Association Meetings (310). In 2010, there were 897 MICE events held in hotels, up by 17% year-on-year. The average duration increased by 0.7 day to 3.1 days; number of participants and attendees surged by 148% to 527,331. Moreover, 502 MICE events were held in convention & exhibition centres and other conference venues. The average duration stood at 1.3 days and number of participants and attendees totalled 278,804.
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The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, is to leave for Beijing tomorrow to attend the opening of the Fourth Plenary Session of the Eleventh National People's Congress on Saturday. Mr Chui and his Guangdong counterpart are scheduled to sign the Guangdong-Macao Co-operation Framework Agreement on Sunday, to be witnessed by state leaders. The Secretary for Administration and Justice, Ms Florinda Chan, will be Acting Chief Executive while Mr Chui is away.
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To assist Macao in playing its role as a service platform for the co-operation of the environmental protection industry in the Mainland, European Union and Portuguese-speaking countries, a series of Green Business Co-operation Day activities will be held in the afternoon of 31 March, the first day of the 2011 International Environmental Co-operation Forum and Exhibition (MIECF). The Green Business Forum will feature two major themes, namely Exploring Green Business Market Opportunities and Opportunities in Green Sectors – E-Mobility, and invite experts in the field and senior representatives from the world's leading enterprises to explore the topics in depth. A Green Business Networking Cocktail Reception and Signing Ceremony will also be held. The Green Business Co-operation Day is jointly organised by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM), AICEP Portugal Global, Macao Chamber of Commerce, American Chamber of Commerce in South China (AmCham South China), European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, European Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, American Chamber of Commerce in Macau and the European Union Business Information Programme (EUBIP). The event will be held from 2:30 pm to 6:30 pm on 31 March 2011 at the Venetian Macao-Resort Hotel. The Green Business Forum, Networking Cocktail Reception, Signing Ceremony and other related activities will also be held to assist enterprises to seize green business opportunities and seek potential partners.
Highlights of the 2011MIECF-Green Business Co-operation Day- The two themes focus on green business opportunities, exchanges and interactions. The Forum will be conducted in two sessions with keynote speakers giving in-depth speeches on Exploring Green Business Market Opportunities and Opportunities in Green Sectors - E-Mobility. Speeches will be based on environmental policies and measures, with exchanges on global environmental protection issues and emission mitigation policies. Speakers include Mr. Júlio Francisco Miranda Calha, Chairman of the Parliament Committee on Environment, Spatial Planning and Local Government of Portugal and Mr. Luiz Laurent Bloch, Undersecretary for Urban Development of the Sao Paulo Municipality of Brazil. There will also be discussions on market development trends with speakers including Mr. Liu Yanshen, Professor of East China Normal University, Chief Expert of Macau Ecological Society, Mr. Li Yuanbin, Deputy Secretary of the Guangdong Association of Environmental Protection Industry, Mr. Jin Jian, Vice President of the China Environment Service Industry Association of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, Mr. António Trindade, President of Macao Association of Environmental Protection Industry, Mr. João Marques da Cruz, Board Member of EDP Internacional (a major Portuguese-funded multi-national group), Mr. Zhou Hui, Senior Government Manager of Corporate Affairs Department, Wal-Mart (China) Investment Co., Ltd. and Mr. Renato Roldão, Chief Representative of Ecoprogresso China. World-renowned entrepreneurs are invited to give speeches to promote exchanges within the industry. This year, the Organiser introduced a new format of conducting two meeting sessions concurrently. Representatives from world leading automotive and multi-national companies will speak on fuel-cell operated vehicles and related technologies. Speakers include Mr. Manuel Sattig, Communications Manager Project, BMW AG of Munich, Mr. Nick Leach, Regional Director for Buses and Coaches in the Asia and Oceania Regions of SCANIA, Mr. Paul Lin, Senior Manager of BYD, Mr. Fabian Hess, Vice President and General Manger of E-Mobility, ABB Group (a Global 500 leading energy and automation technology company), Mr. Peres Diniz, Senior Manager of Special Projects of Companhia de Electricidade de Macau- CEM, S.A., Mr. Christian Hochfeld, Project Director of Electro-Mobility and Climate Protection, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, Mr. Steve Chen, Managing Director of Halo Motor Co Ltd, as well as Mr. Ron Chung, Electric Mobility Development Manager - Strategy and Planning of CLP Power Hong Kong Limited Contracts of a series of major environmental co-operation projects will be signed at the Green Business Networking Cocktail Reception and Signing Ceremony. For further information on the Green Business Co-operation Day, please contact the 2011 MIECF Secretariat at 8798 9675, Fax: 2872 7123, email to conf@macaomiecf.com or visit the MIECF website at www.macaomiecf.com. Companies and members of the public are all welcome and places are limited. Interested parties may contact Ms. Winnie Kuok of IPIM's Research and Information Division on 8798 9127, Fax: 2872 8208 or email to winnievai@ipim.gov.mo.
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According to statistics released today by the Monetary Authority of Macao, new SME lending approved by Macao banks witnessed a decline in the second half of 2010. Concurrently, the utilisation of SME credit in proportion to the credit limit approved by banks rose from the last survey period. New Lending Approved In the second half of 2010, new SME credit limit approved by Macao banks totalled MOP8.5 billion, 17.5% down from the first half of 2010 or 3.7% down from the same period of 2009. The collateralised ratio, which indicates the proportion of credit limit with tangible assets pledged, was 63.8%, up significantly by 27.5 percentage points when compared with the first half of 2010 but down marginally by 0.6 percentage points when compared with the same period of 2009. Credit Utilisation As at end-December 2010, the outstanding value of total SME loans reached MOP24.9 billion, which represented a growth of 11.1% from end-June 2010 or 20.8% from a year earlier. When compared with end-June 2010, SME loans to “restaurants, hotels and similar activities”, “wholesale and retail trade”, “manufacturing” and “construction and public works” increased at respective rates of 56.7%, 30.3%, 10.0% and 7.2%, whereas those to “transport, warehouse and communications” dropped 8.2%. These sectors accounted for 74.7% of the total SME loans outstanding. The utilisation rate, defined as the proportion of outstanding credit balance to the credit limit granted, rose 4.8 percentage points from six months ago to 58.1%. Delinquent Loans At the end of December 2010, the outstanding balance of delinquent SME loans increased 8.9% from six months ago to MOP526.3 million. Compared to a year ago, the balance grew by 3.2%. Meanwhile, the delinquency ratio, a ratio of delinquent loans outstanding balance to total SME loans outstanding, edged down 0.04 percentage points from end-June 2010 or 0.36 percentage points from a year earlier to 2.11%.
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that upon arrival of the Autumn and Winter in the fourth quarter of 2010, consumption (10,853 tonnes) and imports (10,644 tonnes) of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) increased by 29.1% and 38.5% respectively quarter-to-quarter; besides, the average price of imports rising by 11.3% to MOP8.42 per kg. For the whole year of 2010, imports (39,987 tonnes) and consumption (40,744 tonnes) of LPG went up by 1.1% and 2.5% respectively year-on-year, of which consumption by the Business sector (26,956 tonnes) increased by 10.1%, but that by Households (13,543 tonnes) decreased by 9.4%. In the fourth quarter of 2010, imports of Electricity decreased by 28.1% quarter-to-quarter to 603 million kWh, accounting for 70.0% of the total available supply; local generation of Electricity stood at 271 million kWh, down by 27.7% from the previous quarter; meanwhile, consumption of Electricity decreased by 25.2% to 838 million kWh. For the whole year of 2010, total consumption of Electricity (3.655 billion kWh) went up by 5.5% year-on-year, of which consumption by the Business sector increased by 7.0% to 2.792 billion kWh (Gaming sector shared 46.4%) and that by Households rose by 2.1% to 697 million kWh. Local generation of Electricity totalled 1.077 billion kWh in 2010, down by 26.5% year-on-year, while imports of Electricity (2.786 billion kWh) increased by 25.1%. Imports of Natural Gas for electricity generation decreased by 24.3% from the previous quarter to 42.30 million cubic metres in the fourth quarter. For the whole year of 2010, imports of Natural Gas totalled 155 million cubic metres, up notably by 65.5% year-on-year, indicating an increase in the usage of natural gas for electricity generation. In 2010, the average price of all types of fuels increased compared with 2009, with that of Bottled LPG and Unleaded Gasoline rising by 17.9% and 10.6% respectively year-on-year. At the end of the fourth quarter of 2010, stock of Fuel Oil (12.66 million litres), Gas oil & diesel (21.14 million litres) and LPG (2,113 tonnes) registered quarter-to-quarter decrease of 35.7%, 11.6% and 7.6% respectively.
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Owing to the earthquake in Christchurch - New Zealand, Macao Post announced that all postal services (including Correspondence, Printed Matters, Small Packet, Parcel and EMS) from Macao to Christchurch are suspended until further notice. Thank you for your kind attention.
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From February 22 until 5p.m. of February 28, the Cross-departmental Working Team sealed two more premises suspected to provide accommodation illegally. During the operation, one operator was seized while three illegal immigrants and one overstayer were found on site. Since the Cross-departmental Working Team started operations, 1,262 premise-checks were conducted, involving 828 premises, of which 110 premises suspected to provide accommodation illegally were sealed, while 119 were normal residences. Ensuing investigations on the rest of the premises have been launched. Among the checked premises, some were vacant or unoccupied. Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) and the Public Security Police Force (PSP) will continue investigation on unanswered doors, which are suspected to be used to provide accommodation illegally. Meanwhile, during investigations to other cases, PSP has found 25 premises suspected to provide accommodation illegally and informed the Cross-departmental Working Team to handle the cases. Since the law on "Prohibition of Providing Illegal Accommodation" took effect on August 13, Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) has waged a total of 110 sanctions and nine operators who provided accommodation illegally were fined 200 000 patacas according to the law on "Prohibition of Providing Illegal Accommodation" . Other cases are in different stages of sanction proceedings. To date, the operations involved 1,108 occupants, among whom 512 were occupants of premises suspected to provide accommodation illegally and were investigated, including 28 overstayers and 21 illegal immigrants. 19 operators, 14 touts, 19 persons who managed the premises that provide accommodation illegally (management staff) and 10 occupants who failed to fulfill their duty of cooperation were seized on site. MGTO has begun sanction proceedings on offenders according to the law on "Prohibition of Providing Illegal Accommodation". If the nine operators who provided accommodation illegally, who were fined 200 000 patacas, do not pay within the statutory period, the Financial Services Bureau will enforce the collection of fine. Meanwhile, the 10 occupants who failed to fulfill their duty of cooperation were fined 3 000 patacas each, among which four have paid the fine. For those who fail to pay the fine within the statutory period, MGTO has notified the Financial Services Bureau to enforce the collection of fine and informed PSP that the involved persons should pay the fine or their reentry into Macau will be denied. According to the law, operators and persons who manage the premises that provide accommodation illegally (management staff) incur a penalty of up to 800 000 patacas, touts can be fined up to 100 000 patacas, persons who fail to cooperate can be fined up to 20 000 patacas and occupants who fail to cooperate are fined 3 000 patacas. Following the raid to premises suspected to provide accommodation illegally, MGTO began sanction proceedings on involved operators, touts and managing staff, and adopted provisional measures to cut the supply of water and electricity to the concerned premises and sealed the doors. Public can also call 2833 3000 to report suspected premises.
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the value of total merchandise export for January 2011 amounted to MOP656 million, up by 5.8% year-on-year, of which value of domestic exports increased by 17.0% to MOP249 million, and that of re-exports held stable at MOP407 million. Value of total merchandise import amounted to MOP4.93 billion, up notably by 39.5% year-on-year. Merchandise trade deficit for January 2011 widened by 46.7% year-on-year to MOP4.28 billion. Analyzed by destination, value of merchandise export to Hong Kong (MOP324 million) and the EU (MOP54 million) in January 2011 increased by 19.8% and 24.8% respectively year-on-year; however, exports to Mainland China (MOP69 million) and the USA (MOP68 million) decreased by 16.5% and 18.2% respectively. Exports of Non-textile rose by 6.9% year-on-year to MOP502 million, with that of Clocks & watches and Tobacco & wine surging by 213.3% and 62.6% respectively; meanwhile, value of Textile & garment exports grew by 2.4% to MOP154 million. Regarding the origin of imports, value of merchandise import from Mainland China (MOP1.40 billion) and the EU (MOP1.33 billion) expanded by 34.7% and 66.8% respectively year-on-year in January 2011. Imports of Consumer goods soared by 43.1% to MOP3.13 billion, with that of Food & beverages (MOP841 million), Gold jewellery (MOP427 million) and Handbags & wallets (MOP263 million) rising by 45.7%, 21.8% and 106.6% respectively year-on-year. Moreover, imports of Capital goods (MOP800 million) and Raw materials & semi-manufactures (MOP543 million) registered year-on-year increase of 65.1% and 22.2% respectively. In January 2011, total value of merchandise import and export amounted to MOP5.59 billion, up by 34.5% compared with MOP4.16 billion from a year earlier.
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the population of Macao was estimated at 552,300 as at 31 December 2010, an increase of 10,100 from end-2009; rate of population growth was 1.9%. In terms of gender structure, 52.0% were female and 48.0% were male. As regards the age structure, the youth population (aged 0-14) accounted for 12.2%, down by 0.5 percentage point over 2009; the adult population (aged 15-64) and the elderly population (aged 65 and over) shared 79.8% and 8.0% respectively, both went up by 0.3 percentage point from a year earlier. In the fourth quarter of 2010, there were 1,421 live births and 438 mortality cases. For the whole year of 2010, total number of live births went up by 7.3% year-on-year to 5,114; gender ratio of the newborn was 108.1, corresponding to 108.1 male babies per 100 female babies. Number of mortality cases totalled 1,774 in 2010, up by 6.6% year-on-year; the top three underlying causes of death were Neoplasms, Diseases of the Circulatory System and Diseases of the Respiratory System. There were 899 cases of Notifiable Diseases reported in the fourth quarter of 2010. For the whole year of 2010, a total of 4,571 cases were recorded, down by 46.5% year-on-year, consisting mainly of Influenza (1,632 cases), Enterovirus Infection (1,023 cases) and Chickenpox (632 cases). In addition, 812 cases of marriage registration were recorded in the fourth quarter of 2010. Total number of cases rose by 2.2% year-on-year to 3,103 in 2010; median age of first marriage was 26.0 for female and 28.1 for male. In the fourth quarter of 2010, there were 3,446 Chinese immigrants with One-way Exit Permit moving to Macao, bringing the annual total to 9,056 (+190.2%), with 67.1% coming from the Guangdong Province. Meanwhile, 363 illegal immigrants were repatriated in the fourth quarter and the total number for 2010 decreased by 14.6% year-on-year to 1,302. Number of non-resident workers stood at 75,813 at end-2010, an increase of 908 year-on-year; moreover, a total of 4,455 individuals were authorized to reside in Macao in 2010, a decrease of 5,034 year-on-year. In 2010, total number of non-institutionalized households increased by 1.1% year-on-year to 179,900 households.
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