<?xml version="1.0" encoding="iso-8859-1"?><?xml-stylesheet href="style.xsl" type="text/xsl"?><rss version="2.0"><channel><title>news.gov.hk - Business &amp; Finance</title><link>http://www.news.gov.hk/en/category/businessandfinance/html/index.htm</link><image><url>http://www.isd.gov.hk/images/logo60.gif</url><title>news.gov.hk - Business &amp; Finance</title><link>http://www.news.gov.hk/en/category/businessandfinance/html/index.htm</link></image><description>news.gov.hk - Business &amp; Finance - From Hong Kong's Information Services Department</description><language>en-UK</language><copyright>Copyright, news.gov.hk</copyright><webMaster>irc@isd.gov.hk</webMaster><pubDate>Sat, 04 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0800</pubDate><lastBuildDate>Sat, 04 Jul 2009 07:14:00 +0800</lastBuildDate><generator>ISD News RSS Generator 3.13</generator><item><title>Travel compensation levy rate suspended</title><guid>http://www.news.gov.hk/en/category/businessandfinance/090703/html/090703en03002.htm</guid><link>http://www.news.gov.hk/en/category/businessandfinance/090703/html/090703en03002.htm</link><pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:37:25 +0800</pubDate><description><![CDATA[The Travel Industry Compensation Fund levy rate, currently set at 0.15% of outbound fares, will be reduced to zero with immediate effect.]]></description></item><item><title>HK, Finland sign investment pact</title><guid>http://www.news.gov.hk/en/category/businessandfinance/090702/html/090702en03007.htm</guid><link>http://www.news.gov.hk/en/category/businessandfinance/090702/html/090702en03007.htm</link><pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:37:24 +0800</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Secretary for Commerce &amp; Economic Development Rita Lau has signed an investment promotion and protection agreement with Finland - Hong Kong's 16th such pact.]]></description></item><item><title>Trade seminar to be held</title><guid>http://www.news.gov.hk/en/category/businessandfinance/090702/html/090702en03005.htm</guid><link>http://www.news.gov.hk/en/category/businessandfinance/090702/html/090702en03005.htm</link><pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:37:23 +0800</pubDate><description><![CDATA[The Trade &amp; Industry Department will hold a free Cantonese seminar to introduce different trade solutions to help enterprises get funding for sustainable business development and market expansion.]]></description></item><item><title>May retail sales value down 6.2%</title><guid>http://www.news.gov.hk/en/category/businessandfinance/090702/html/090702en03002.htm</guid><link>http://www.news.gov.hk/en/category/businessandfinance/090702/html/090702en03002.htm</link><pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:37:26 +0800</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Total retail sales value fell to $21.6 billion in May, down 6.2% on the same period last year, while total retail sales volume dropped 6.4%, the Census &amp; Statistics Department says. The department said today retail sales remained in decline in May, with consumers still cautious about spending on luxuries like cars and jewellery, coupled with a drop in visitor arrivals. However, local consumer sentiment continued to hold up rather well, it added.]]></description></item><item><title>Applications open for pro-services grants</title><guid>http://www.news.gov.hk/en/category/businessandfinance/090630/html/090630en03004.htm</guid><link>http://www.news.gov.hk/en/category/businessandfinance/090630/html/090630en03004.htm</link><pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:37:29 +0800</pubDate><description><![CDATA[The Professional Services Development Assistance Scheme opens today offering a maximum grant of $2 million for a project.]]></description></item><item><title>Exchange Fund assets up $114b</title><guid>http://www.news.gov.hk/en/category/businessandfinance/090630/html/090630en03012.htm</guid><link>http://www.news.gov.hk/en/category/businessandfinance/090630/html/090630en03012.htm</link><pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 20:28:11 +0800</pubDate><description><![CDATA[The Exchange Fund's total assets amounted to $1.7601 trillion on May 31, up $114.7 billion on April, the Monetary Authority says.]]></description></item><item><title>May total deposits up 2%</title><guid>http://www.news.gov.hk/en/category/businessandfinance/090630/html/090630en03010.htm</guid><link>http://www.news.gov.hk/en/category/businessandfinance/090630/html/090630en03010.htm</link><pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:38:25 +0800</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Total deposits with authorised institutions rose 2% in May, with Hong Kong dollar deposits up 2.7% as the expansion in demand and savings deposits exceeded the contraction in time deposits, the Monetary Authority says. Foreign-currency deposits climbed 1.4%. Renminbi deposits, which account for about 2% of foreign-currency deposits, grew 0.8%, to RMB 53.4 billion.]]></description></item><item><title>HK to sign investment pact with Finland</title><guid>http://www.news.gov.hk/en/category/businessandfinance/090630/html/090630en03008.htm</guid><link>http://www.news.gov.hk/en/category/businessandfinance/090630/html/090630en03008.htm</link><pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:38:24 +0800</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Secretary for Commerce &amp; Economic Development Rita Lau will leave for Finland tomorrow to sign Hong Kong's investment promotion and protection agreement with the country.]]></description></item><item><title>May sees $10.4b deficit</title><guid>http://www.news.gov.hk/en/category/businessandfinance/090630/html/090630en03006.htm</guid><link>http://www.news.gov.hk/en/category/businessandfinance/090630/html/090630en03006.htm</link><pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:38:26 +0800</pubDate><description><![CDATA[A $10.4 billion deficit was recorded in the Government's financial results for May, resulting in a $13.6 billion deficit for the financial year's first two months.]]></description></item><item><title>Disneyland expansion plans unveiled</title><guid>http://www.news.gov.hk/en/category/businessandfinance/090630/html/090630en03001.htm</guid><link>http://www.news.gov.hk/en/category/businessandfinance/090630/html/090630en03001.htm</link><pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 18:07:48 +0800</pubDate><description><![CDATA[The Government and the Walt Disney Company have reached an agreement on the expansion of Hong Kong Disneyland, boosting the number of theme areas from four to seven and creating more than 3,000 jobs, Chief Executive Donald Tsang says.]]></description></item></channel></rss>