Hong Kong, Mainland to Connect Payment Network
April 4, 2009
Beginning March 16, Hong Kong and the rest of the mainland will link their foreign-currency payment and clearing systems to reduce cross-border payment risks and costs.
Mainland Chinese banks can now make cross-border payments and settlements in Hong Kong dollars, United States dollars, euros and pounds through the network.
More currencies will be accommodated depending on market demand. According to Shanghai Daily, the linkage will improve multi-currency payment efficiency while also facilitating capital turnover efficiency of participating banks.
Cross-border settlements will be carried out by the mainland banks; China Construction Bank, the Bank of China, the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, and Shanghai Pudong Development Bank.
The Hong Kong agent banks for the mainland one will also be China Construction Bank, the Bank of China, the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and Citibank.
Source: Â Â China Briefing
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Will Yuan Depreciate against USD?
December 19, 2008
As the Chinese currency yuan or renminbi appreciated all over 2 years and those buying from China directly felt the rising costs of purchases since the stronger Yuan made the Chinese exports more expensive.
Nearly, for the last 6 months, the currency rate is stabilized at 6.80′s level. However, as the global crisis hit the Chinese economy, there is now the possibility for Yuan’s depreciation. But it is actually very hard because as the rest of the world have deep problems, a China making exports cheaper could or would give way to protectionist reactions against Chinese imports, especially in USA and EU.
Here is Shanghai Daily news about the debate over the depreciation:
ECONOMISTS are divided on the yuan’s movement next year.
Liao Qun, CITIC Ka Wah Bank chief economist, said yesterday he expects the yuan to appreciate 2 percent to 4 percent next year, a “moderate appreciation.” “From a mid and long-term view, the trend of yuan appreciation is irreversible as China continues to integrate with the global economy,” Liao said.
The currency has appreciated 6 percent this year against the United States dollar in the first half with its momentum on hold in the second half after a moderate depreciation in recent weeks.
The People’s Bank of China has said that it will stabilize the local currency and doesn’t rule out depreciation of the yuan.
Liao said he expected the foreign currency to re-emerge as a hot issue when President-elect Barack Obama takes office in January.
“A weaker yuan can help Chinese exporters. However, the question is that when the external demand is shrinking, a relatively cheaper price won’t make big difference,” Liao said. “Only if the yuan depreciated by 20 percent, which is unlikely, can there be a big help for exports. If not, a mild depreciation of the yuan won’t give actual significant help to exporters.”
Lu Zhengwei, Industrial Bank chief economist, had a different view and said depreciation of 10 percent next year would help exports.
“It may be the best timing for the yuan to depreciate since 2002 against the backdrop of the current financial crisis,” said Lu. “Why should China continue to keep its currency up when currencies of other emerging markets are depreciating?”
A depreciated yuan, together with tax rebates, would help exports a lot, he said. “Depreciation is part of a more flexible foreign currency control,” Lu said.
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Yuan set to climb against US dollar this week
December 15, 2008
Chinese currency yuan or renminbi was pegged to USD until 2005. Since then, the currency is allowed to appreciate unfavorably to those importing from China and to factories in China making exports because it makes the Chinese exports expensive as USD lose its previous value. So, for those importing from China is better to closely follow the currency movements as it directly affects the purchasing costs. Here is the latest situation of renminbi as of 14th Dec:
THE yuan is likely to continue its appreciation against the United States dollar this week.
The Chinese currency edged up to finish at 6.8451 against the US dollar last Friday, according to the China Foreign Exchange Trade System. The yuan closed at 6.8482 by the end of the previous week.
Fan Gang, a central bank monetary policy committee member, noted the modest depreciation of the yuan in the previous week was normal amid short-term volatility, according to a report by Shanghai Securities News.
Meanwhile, the US last Friday said retail sales in the nation fell 1.8 percent last month for a fifth consecutive month amid weak consumer sentiment and tight credit in a deepening recession.
Source: Shanghai Daily
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China’s import of manganese ore in October 2008
November 20, 2008
China imported 610,000 tons of manganese ore valued at 345.589 million US dollars in October 2008. The import in January-October reached 6,640,000 tons valued at 3,040.076 million US dollars, up 31.7 percent and 256.9 percent respectively year on year.
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China’s inflation cools at last
October 14, 2008
Inflation rates are crucially important for China’s economy. To me, it is the most decisive indicator in shaping government policies on economy, finance, trade etc.
For example, the soaring inflation at the beginning of the year was the main reason behind the tightening monetary policy which squeezes credits for factories, makes trade policies restrictive, quickens the appreciation of chinese currency. So every company making business with China needs to follow the inflation gadget to foresee possible risks and opportunities.
China’s inflation cools at last
By Lydia Chen (Sanghai Daily)
CHINA’S inflation rate dropped to the slowest pace since June 2007 with smaller gains in food prices, a boost to policy makers working on adjusting macroeconomic policies to support the country’s economic growth.
The consumer price index, a broad measure of inflation, rose 4.9 percent in August from a year earlier, after gaining 6.3 percent in July, the National Bureau of Statistics said this morning.
Food costs, accounting for a third of the CPI basket, surged 10.3 percent year on year last month. Within the category, meat and poultry prices soared 8 percent in August.
The cost of pork, the nation’s staple meat, increased 1 percent last month from a year ago while cooking oil prices rose 22.7 percent. Vegetable prices were down 0.5 percent last month from a year ago. Grain prices gained 8 percent in the period.
The combined CPI grew 7.3 percent from January to August, the bureau said.
Consumer-price inflation has slowed for four months. February’s 8.7 percent pace was the fastest in 12 years. The central bank’s target for the year is 4.8 percent, the same as the actual rate in 2007.
But producer-price inflation advanced 10.1 percent in August after rising 10 percent in July. The August jump was the fastest pace since at least 1996, according to the bureau today.
The faster producer inflation rate may lead policy makers to introduce more balanced measures to boost growth against the risk that inflation will accelerate again.
China may adopt tax cuts, a slower pace of yuan appreciation and more easing of lending restrictions to protect jobs and avoid an economic slump as export demand falters.
China’s economy expanded 10.1 percent in the second quarter from a year earlier, slowing for a fourth straight quarter, as exports cooled. Many economists said the growth may ease to 9 percent this year.
Profit growth for listed companies slumped in the first half, helping push the key stock index in the Shanghai market down nearly 60 percent so far this year. Weaker overseas demand, rising costs and a strengthening currency have put pressure on exporters of shoes, toys and clothes.
Economists expect China’s monetary policy will steadily turn more growth-friendly, given the concerns and moderating inflation.
In July, the central bank eased restrictions on how much banks can lend. It raised the 2008 loan quotas for national banks by 5 percent and for regional lenders by 10 percent, according to reports by the Goldman Sachs Group Inc, BNP Paribas SA, and the China Merchants Bank Co.
The People’s Bank of China has kept interest rates unchanged this year and hasn’t increased the reserve ratio for banks — the proportion of deposits that lenders are required to set aside — since June.
The Chinese yuan has climbed only 0.2 percent against the dollar this quarter after a 6.5 percent advance in the first half. Gains hurt exporters by making their products more expensive and less attractive in overseas markets.
The government has already cut taxes on exports of textiles and garments and encouraged more lending to small and medium-sized businesses. Officials are working on a plan for as much as 400 billion yuan (US$58 billion) in tax cuts and spending to prevent an economic slump, according to economists and reports in domestic news media.
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