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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

29k get consumption voucher

Around 29,000 people whose cases have been successfully reviewed will receive their first consumption voucher today, the Government said.   They will get an SMS or a mobile app push notification. They may also call 18 5000 to check the review result.   As of last Saturday, the Consumption Voucher Scheme Secretariat has received some 170,000 applications for review. Most of these applications are from people who have submitted valid claim requests for early withdrawal of their Mandatory Provident Fund or benefits under occupational retirement schemes on the ground of permanent departure from Hong Kong. About 104,000 people’s applications for review had been accepted and they got their first voucher on August 7.   The secretariat said the remaining cases are being processed. In general, it will notify the applicants of the review results by SMS within six weeks upon receipt of their application and supporting documents.
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