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Standard Chartered and HKPC Launch“Standard Chartered Hong Kong SME Leading Business Index”

 

11 July 2012, Hong Kong ─ Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Limited (“Standard Chartered Hong Kong”) and Hong Kong Productivity Council (“HKPC”) are pleased to announce the launch of the “Standard Chartered Hong Kong SME Leading Business Index”, a professional survey on SME business outlook catered for the Hong Kong market to help the public and the SME sector keep abreast of the business and economic pulse.

The “Standard Chartered Hong Kong SME Leading Business Index” is a forward-looking quarterly survey executed independently by HKPC and sponsored by Standard Chartered Hong Kong, with an aim to assist the public and SMEs to get an insight into the forthcoming business climate.  The index will be released every quarter in January, April, July and October each year, and is computed from the analysis of local SMEs’ view on the outlook of the overall business environment and regional economic change for the next quarter, through telephone interviews done by HKPC professionals.  To better reflect the true picture of the local business condition and enhance the significance of the index, the size and scope of the survey is the most extensive of its kind in Hong Kong, with more than 3,000 responses expected from the four quarterly surveys for analysis, and covering eight industries including manufacturing, import/export trade and wholesale, retail, accommodation and catering services, information and communications, finance and insurance industry, professional services, and real estate industry.

“The SME sector has always been the pillar underpinning economic growth and job creation.  As such, Standard Chartered Hong Kong has been striving to meet their banking needs in both business and personal level through our 360 degrees banking services, and build a long-lasting relationship,” said Mary Huen, Head of Consumer Banking, Standard Chartered Hong Kong at today’s press conference.  “We are very pleased to join forces with the HKPC to introduce a SME business index in Hong Kong.  The experienced market survey and data analysis team at HKPC makes it possible to compile a neutral report of high reference value.  We believe that the index will help the public and SMEs make appropriate resource allocation and strategic decision in today’s rapidly changing market environment.”

Agnes Mak, Executive Director of HKPC said, “It has been a core mission of HKPC to support SMEs. We are pleased to collaborate with Standard Chartered Hong Kong to launch this Index to assist SMEs to keep track of economic development, and aptly move with the market. This quarterly survey on SME business operation in Hong Kong covers SMEs’ outlook on their business volume, profits, capital investment, employment, and the impacts of the global economy to their business in the next quarter. In addition to this initiative, HKPC’s SME One will be operational on 17 July to provide comprehensive information to enhance the operation efficiency and competitiveness of SMEs, and a series of new services to support them in tapping business opportunities.”

“To support the continuing development of SMEs, we also sponsored a series of four ‘IT TURN’ seminars, with an aim to help Hong Kong SMEs with manufacturing facilities in Guangdong region to make use of the subsidies from Mainland governments to improve their operation efficiency, in order to stay adaptive and competitive.  We will also extend our support to the ‘SME One’ to be opened by the HKPC in mid July, and participate in the ‘SME Fund Day’.  There will also be an information counter at the ‘SME One’, where SMEs can easily get information on financing and commercial banking,” said Kelvin Au, General Manager, Hong Kong & South China Region, SME Banking, Standard Chartered Hong Kong.

To further strengthen SME banking services on the Island, Standard Chartered Hong Kong has recently opened a new SME Banking Centre at Yee Wo Street, Causeway Bay, to enhance communication with SME customers.

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For media enquiries:

Corporate Affairs,
Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Limited

Gabriel Kwan      Tel: 2820 3036
Cathy Kwong      Tel: 2820 3083
    
Corporate Communications,
Hong Kong Productivity Council

Jonathan Ho      Tel: 2788 6390
Justina Shum    Tel: 2788 5895


11 July 2012