2006 ECONOMIC BACKGROUND AND 2007 PROSPECTS ECONOMIC ANALYSIS DIVISION ECONOMIC ANALYSIS AND BUSINESS FACILITATION UNIT FINANCIAL SECRETARY’S OFFICE GOVERNMENT OF THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION February 2007 CONTENTS Paragraphs CHAPTER 1: OVERVIEW OF ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE IN 2006 Overall situation 1.1 - 1.2 The external sector 1.3 - 1.4 The domestic sector 1.5 - 1.6 The labour sector 1.7 - 1.8 The asset markets 1.9 - 1.10 Inflation 1.11 - 1.12 GDP by economic activity 1.13 - 1.15 Strengthening Hong Kong’s role in the Mainland’s economic 1.16 - 1.19 development Some highlights of economic policy 1.20 - 1.22 Box 1.1 Productivity growth in Hong Kong CHAPTER 2: ECONOMIC OUTLOOK FOR 2007 AND THE MEDIUM TERM Major external factors 2.1 Global economic outlook 2.2 - 2.4 Exchange rates and price competitiveness 2.5 - 2.8 Oil prices 2.9 Major domestic factors Interest rate movements 2.10 - 2.11 Integration with the Mainland 2.12 - 2.14 Outlook for the Hong Kong economy in 2007 2.15 - 2.21 Medium-term outlook for the Hong Kong economy 2.22 - 2.23 Box 2.1 Exchange rate movement as a prominent factor affecting Hong Kong’s export performance CHAPTER 3: THE EXTERNAL SECTOR Visible trade Total exports of goods 3.1 - 3.4 Imports of goods 3.5 Invisible trade Exports of services 3.6 Imports of services 3.7 Visible and invisible trade balance 3.8 Trade policy and other developments 3.9 Strengthening institutional framework 3.10 - 3.12 Other policy measures 3.13 - 3.14 Box 3.1 How would US economic slow-down impact on Hong Kong’s exports? CHAPTER 4: DEVELOPMENTS IN SELECTED SECTORS Property 4.1 - 4.5 Land 4.6 - 4.7 External transport 4.8 - 4.12 Tourism 4.13 - 4.16 Logistics and maritime 4.17 - 4.21 Business services 4.22 - 4.23 Innovation and technology 4.24 - 4.26 Box 4.1 Value added logistics CHAPTER 5: THE FINANCIAL SECTOR Overall situation 5.1 - 5.2 Interest rates, aggregate balance and exchange rates 5.3 - 5.6 Money supply and deposits 5.7 - 5.8 Loans and advances 5.9 Banking 5.10 - 5.12 The debt market 5.13 - 5.15 The stock and futures markets 5.16 - 5.19 Fund management and investment funds 5.20 - 5.21 Insurance 5.22 CHAPTER 6: THE LABOUR SECTOR Overall labour market situation 6.1 Total employment and labour supply 6.2 - 6.4 Profile of unemployment 6.5 - 6.8 Profile of underemployment 6.9 Profile of employment in establishments 6.10 - 6.11 Vacancies 6.12 - 6.13 Earnings and wages 6.14 - 6.18 Box 6.1 The employment and income situation of lower-end workers since 2003 Box 6.2 Recent employment and vacancy situation of small and medium-sized enterprises CHAPTER 7: PRICES Consumer prices 7.1 - 7.2 Costs of factor inputs 7.3 - 7.4 Output prices 7.5 GDP deflator 7.6 Box 7.1 How high is imported inflation in Hong Kong? CALENDAR OF EVENTS OF SIGNIFICANCE TO THE HONG KONG ECONOMY IN 2006 STATISTICAL APPENDIX CHAPTER 1 : OVERVIEW OF ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE IN 2006 Summary After two years of very rapid growth, the Hong Kong economy continued to expand at a brisk pace in 2006. With a strong start in the first quarter, GDP growth moderated somewhat in the second quarter, but soon regained robust momentum that was well sustained through to the end of the year. The robust 6.8% GDP growth for 2006 as a whole marked the third consecutive year of distinctly above-trend growth (GDP growth figure in 2005 also revised upwards, from the previous 7.3% to 7.5%). The past three years saw a sustained period of high growth and low inflation, giving a highly supportive macroeconomic environment. While external trade continued to display strength on the back of the Mainland’s vibrant trade flows and a generally strong global economy, domestic demand played an increasingly vital role as both consumer and investor confidence held up well on the back of improving fundamentals. The financial services did very well in 2006, so were the trading and logistics sectors. The Hong Kong economy has become more dynamic and continued to move up the value chain in the year. The property market consolidated earlier in the year upon successive interest rate rises, but re-activated in the latter part of the year as uncertainty over interest rate outlook waned. On the other hand, the local stock market was on a general uptrend during the year, supported by the strong economic upturn, improved corporate earnings, and also fund inflow induced by Mainland’s thriving growth and expectation of renminbi appreciation. The Hang Seng Index broke the 20 000 mark for the first time near the year-end, and the stock market capitalisation rose distinctly to become the world’s sixth largest. The labour market experienced further extensive improvements in 2006. The strong economic recovery since mid-2003 has created 299 000 additional jobs, benefiting workers in all age groups and all occupation categories. The unemployment rate fell to a 6-year low of 4.4% by end-2006. Job vacancies and employment income remained on the rise. 1 Consumer price inflation remained benign throughout 2006, thanks to the continued significant increase in labour productivity and to the global competitive pressures containing the rise in import prices of foodstuffs and consumer goods, which helped to offset the impacts from the renminbi appreciation and a weaker Hong Kong dollar in general. Overall situation 1.1 The Hong Kong economy continued to stage a robust and broad-based expansion in 2006. The past three years marked the fastest pace of sustained above-trend growth in any three consecutive years since 1987. On the trade front, Hong Kong’s merchandise exports attained another year of double-digit growth in 2006, thanks to the thriving Mainland economy and improved price competitiveness stemming from a weaker US dollar. Apart from the impetus from robust trade growth, domestic demand also held up well to render a steady and prominent growth driver all through the year. Diagram 1.1 : The past three years saw the fastest economic expanison in recent history (a) Annual profile Rate of change in real terms (%) 12 10 Rate of change in real terms 8 6 10-year trend growth 4 2 0 -2 -4 -6 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2 Diagram 1.1 (cont'd) : (b) Quarterly profile Percent 14 12 Year-on-year rate of 10 change in real terms 8 6 Seasonally adjusted 4 quarter-to-quarter rate of change in real terms 2 0 -2 -4 -6 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 1.2 For 2006 as a whole, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP)(1) leaped by 6.8% in real terms, following a strong 7.5% growth in 2005 (figure revised up from 7.3%). On a year-on-year comparison, after a strong 8.0% expansion in the first quarter, the economy moderated to a 5.5% growth in the second quarter, but soon regained momentum to a 6.7% growth in the third quarter as trade showed renewed vigour. The strength of external trade extended well into the fourth quarter, boosted by vibrant regional trade flows and a further weakening of the US dollar. With domestic demand also maintaining solid growth momentum, economic growth in the fourth quarter remained well above-trend at 7.0%. On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison(2), GDP expanded strongly during the year, by 1.9%, 0.9%, 2.6% and 1.3% respectively in the four quarters. 3 Table 1.1 : Gross Domestic Product and its main expenditure components and the main price indicators (year-on-year rate of change (%)) 2005# 2006+ 2005 2006 Q1# Q2# Q3# Q4# Q1# Q2# Q3# Q4+ Change in real terms of GDP and its main expenditure components (%) Private consumption 3.3 5.1 3.7 2.5 4.0 3.1 4.8 5.4 4.4 5.8 expenditure (*) (0.6) (1.8) (0.5) (1.6) (1.3) (1.0) (1.7) Government consumption -3.1 0.3 -4.5 -2.3 -1.6 -3.9 1.1 -1.5 -1.1 2.4 expenditure (-2.5) (*) (*) (-1.7) (2.9) (-2.3) (0.3) (1.6) Gross domestic fixed 4.6 7.9 1.3 5.0 3.2 8.9 7.3 4.5 10.3 9.5 capital formation (N.A.) (N.A.) (N.A.) (N.A.) (N.A.) (N.A.) (N.A.) (N.A.) of which : Building and construction -8.4 -7.2 -3.2 -9.9 -7.6 -13.1 -11.4 -4.1 -10.1 -2.6 Machinery, equipment and 12.9 17.2 3.9 12.2 9.1 26.5 22.4 11.9 20.4 14.9 computer software Total exports of goods 11.2 10.2 8.9 11.1 12.8 11.4 14.4 6.4 8.9 11.7 (0.8) (6.2) (2.3) (1.5) (3.2) (0.1) (4.1) (3.3) Imports of goods 8.6 10.0 3.8 7.0 11.0 12.0 14.0 6.7 8.5 11.4 (1.3) (6.6) (2.0) (1.9) (2.7) (-0.2) (4.2) (3.8) Exports of services 11.3 8.7 11.7 11.7 11.3 10.7 9.0 9.3 9.3 7.5 (2.7) (2.6) (3.1) (2.2) (1.0) (2.5) (3.1) (0.7) Imports of services 7.4 6.3 10.5 4.4 8.0 6.8 5.2 8.6 5.4 6.3 (0.6) (2.1) (2.8) (0.9) (-0.2) (4.8) (-0.2) (1.6) Gross Domestic Product 7.5 6.8 6.3 7.5 8.4 7.8 8.0 5.5 6.7 7.0 (1.6) (3.3) (1.7) (1.0) (1.9) (0.9) (2.6) (1.3) Change in the main price indicators (%) GDP deflator -0.4 -0.4 -1.5 -0.9 0.2 0.2 -0.1 -0.2 -0.4 -0.5 (0.1) (*) (0.1) (*) (-0.2) (-0.1) (*) (-0.1) Composite Consumer Price 1.0 2.0 0.4 0.8 1.4 1.3 1.6 2.0 2.3 2.1 Index (0.2) (0.3) (0.3) (0.5) (0.4) (0.7) (0.6) (0.4) Change in nominal GDP (%) 7.1 6.5 4.7 6.6 8.6 8.1 7.9 5.3 6.3 6.5 Notes : Figures are subject to revision later on as more data become available.