Press Digest: Hong Kong - Oct 23

Cafe De Coral Holdings

23/10/2015 02:53

HONG KONG, Oct 23 (Reuters) - These are some of the leading 
stories in Hong Kong newspapers on Friday. Reuters has not 
verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.   
         
    SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST  
    - Hong Kong has topped London and New York to become the 
world's most expensive city to buy a home despite softening 
sentiment towards the housing market, according to an inaugural 
global survey on prices in leading cities by CBRE. Hong Kong's 
residential prices averaged US$1,416 per square foot, outpacing 
London at US$1,025 and New York at US$842, according to the 
report. (http://bit.ly/1QYVZVv) 
    - Plastic comprises more than two-thirds of marine litter 
accumulating in many coastal areas in Hong Kong, a survey has 
found. Led by WWF-Hong Kong and six partners, the Coastal Watch 
Project found that the plastic, such as packaging, bottles, 
cutlery, foam boxes, in floating and underwater marine litter 
posed a grave threat to ecosystems. (http://bit.ly/1OVcV02) 
     
    THE STANDARD 
    - Mainland tour agencies are beating a ban against zero-fee 
tours with coupon systems and lucky draws and in doing so 
sparking a resurgence in forced shopping in Hong Kong, tourism 
leaders complain. Tourism Board chairman Peter Lam Kin-ngok said 
many agencies were using legal loopholes and charge tour members 
a fee and repay the amount in shopping coupons. (http://bit.ly/1W7xtTh) 
    - Chief executive Leung Chun-ying said several sets of 
figures indicate that prices in both the primary and secondary 
property markets are trending lower, thanks to effective 
government measures. Authorities would continue to boost supply, 
he said. (http://bit.ly/1NqwATL) 
    - Hong Kong inflation eased to 2 percent last month from a 
year ago, missing analysts' estimates and hitting the lowest 
level in three years. Slower food inflation, easing the impact 
of higher public housing rents last year and the special fuel 
rebate in electricity, explained the slowing growth, a 
government spokesman said. (http://bit.ly/1QYZivS) 
         
    HONG KONG ECONOMIC JOURNAL  
    - Hong Kong-based fast food chain Café de Coral  0341.HK  
said it has signed an agreement with Korea's JNT Co. Ltd to 
expand cooperation between the two companies in Guangdong 
Province while the Hong Kong firm will have the rights to open 
shops under the healthy food brand of The Cup in the province. 
    - The number of tourist arrival in the city declined 3.1 
percent year on year during the first half month of October to 
Oct. 15, in which mainland visitors posted the biggest drop, 
falling 3.7 percent during the period, data from Hong Kong 
Tourism Board showed.   
    
    For Chinese newspapers, see............... PRESS/CN    
 
 (Reporting by Donny Kwok; Editing by Sunil Nair) 
 ((donny.kwok@thomsonreuters.com)(+852 2843 6470)(Reuters 
Messaging: donny.kwok.reuters.com@reuters.net)) 
 
Keywords: PRESS DIGEST HONGKONG/