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Apr exports value down 13%

The value of Hong Kong's total exports decreased to $338.3 billion in April, down 13% on the same month last year, the Census & Statistics Department announced today.   The value of imports of goods decreased 11.9% to $374.9 billion for the same period.   A trade deficit of $36.6 billion, or 9.8% of the value of imports, was recorded in April.   Comparing the three-month period ending April with the preceding three months on a seasonally adjusted basis, the value of exports rose 15.4%, while that of imports increased 10.7%.   The Government noted that the value of merchandise exports declined further from a year earlier in April. Exports to the Mainland, the US and the European Union all shrank and exports to other major Asian markets recorded decreases of varying degrees.   Looking ahead, it added that the weakness in the advanced economies will continue to weigh on Hong Kong's export performance, though the expected faster recovery of the Mainland economy should

931 cases found in restricted areas

The Government today announced that 931 preliminary positive COVID-19 cases were found in the compulsory testing exercises for the restricted areas in Kwai Chung, Tuen Mun, Diamond Hil and Kwun Tong.   It made a restriction-testing declaration yesterday for Tin Kuen House of Shun Tin Estate in Kwun Tong, where 1,470 people were tested and 361 preliminary positive cases were identified.   At Blocks 1 - 3 of Hoi Tak Gardens in Tuen Mun, 631 people underwent a virus test and 43 of them were preliminarily contracted with COVID-19.   At Oi Ming House and Oi Yung House of Yau Oi Estate, also in Tuen Mun, 1,715 and 770 people took the test, with 248 and 153 initial cases found.   As for Shek Lei (I) Estate in Kwai Chung, 960 people took a virus test, with 104 preliminary positive cases reported.   Meanwhile at Diamond Hill’s Regent on the Hill, 22 out of 563 people were found initially infected.   There were also 95 indeterminate cases in the restricted areas, the Government added.
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