In Focus

Some 5,000 eligible applicants will be the first to purchase flats under the Home Ownership Scheme in January 2013.

Rents in Hong Kong surged 19% in 1Q12, says CBRE.

The government will soon begin building 17,000 flats over the next five years.

Hong Kong shares are expected to continue falling once China releases more disappointing economic data this week.

Hong Kong’s economy grew 0.4% in the 1Q, the slowest pace since the global financial crisis began in 2008.

China is encouraging foreign investors to use the renminbi or yuan for trade and investment in Hong Kong.

Financial Secretary John Tsang welcomes the measures China will implement to strengthen cooperation between Hong Kong and the Mainland.

Leung Chun-ying took office yesterday as Hong Kong’s third chief executive since 1997.

There are plans to build a new city in China to compete against Hong Kong.

A Preparatory Task Force on the Financial Services Development Council has been established by the government to recover lost ground in financial services.

The government has set aside $1 billion to strengthen the competitiveness of Hong Kong businesses on the Mainland.

Hong Kong recorded a $48.2 billion surplus in its balance of payments account in the first quarter of 2012, said the Census & Statistics Department.

The Census & Statistics Department forecasts lower inflation in the coming months along with the relatively slow expansion of Hong Kong’s economy.

Hong Kong tumbles from top IPO destination to seventh in just six short months.

The new comprehensive double taxation agreement gives Hong Kong a number of key advantages.

Hong Kong’s property market is normalizing and should see welcome reductions in high property prices.