Economic Project Names: Jessica Ho (11) Joyce Ip (13) Class: F.5B Source: Oriental Daily News Date 29/11 Summary: At this moment, the economic growth in Hong Kong is getting better. The third term of Gross Domestic Product reports a growth of 4%. Furthermore, consumption expenditure has increased by 2% since 2001. These reflect that the citizens in Hong Kong are become more confident and are more willing to consume. Besides, the deflation rates get smaller and the Financial secretary believed that within one or one and a half year inflation may occurr. GDP definition: Gross Domestic Product is the total market value of all finial goods and services produced by the resident producing units of a territory over a period of time, usually on year. Implicit GDP deflator definition: Implicit GDP deflator = Nominal GDP --------------------X 100 Real GDP Deflation definition: Deflation means continuous decrease in the general price. Explanation: During the outbreak of the SARS, fewer foreigners would like to come to Hong Kong for trading and traveling. Therefore, the demand for goods and services has decreased rapidly. Export and import are also affected by the disease. The decrease in the rate of export is larger than the rate of import so it will lead to decrease in GDP. Hence the recession will continue. Under the condition of recession, the consumption by the citizen and visitors has fallen and so the companies need fewer workers. This leads to an increase in unemployment rate and negative real GDP growth rate. Also the prices are decreasing. GDP= C+I+G+X-M Nevertheless, this situation did not last for a very long time. As the central government has provided numerous policies to solve the problem of recession like individual visit scheme and the madness period of SARS has passed already, citizens and the tourists are willing to spend more money on goods and services than before. Hence there is a decrease in unemployment rate as well as an increase in consumption, Hong Kong is turning into recovery. This brings about an increase in real GDP growth rate. As there is deflation, the general price level decreases. This will affect the revenue of the business. The employers earn less than before so they decided to reduce the salary of employee. Provided that the percentage decrease in money wage is equal to the percentage decrease in price level, the purchasing power of money would be unchanged. Source: Oriental Daily News Date: 09-09-2003 Summary: Two years before, Hong Kong economy has faced two recessions it lead to the contraction of retailing. Especially during the outbreak of SARS, the average decrease in each month is 4.4% on retailing. However, this situation has not been lasted too long, after the SARS has gone away, Hong Kong tourism has totally changed, it has recovered, it made the retailing starting to growth. When compared with last year in July, the percentage of sold goods has only decrease 0.5%. On the other hand, all retailing that is related to tourism has significant recovery, especially the electrically appliance, the camera, it has increased 17.4%. At present, as the individual visit scheme has practiced, in the following months retailing will have a large growth, and confidence of citizens will have a great improvement for consumption too. Explanation: During the outbreak of SARS, there are only a few foreigner would like to come to Hong Kong for trading or traveling, so the demand for goods and services has decreased rapidly, but the supply has no change. Therefore, the demand for consumer goods will decrease (D1 to D2), the equilibrium price of consumer goods will fall (P1 to P2). The equilibrium quantity of consumer goods will decrease (Q1 to Q2). A decrease in quantity transacted for consumer goods is resulted. (Refer to fig 1). Deflation will take place and there is a trough. Besides, the consumption level will decrease hence GDP will decrease and Consumption price index (CPI) will decrease. In July, the outbreak of SARS has over; Hong Kong’ s tourism has recovery. In addition, due to the practice of individual visit scheme, and it was supported by the government with many promotions is given. More people want to come to Hong Kong. These have improved our economic growth. At the same time, the demand for retailing has significant increased. The consumption level has increased a lot too, thus the CPI has increased. When the individual visit scheme is practiced during hot summer, so the airconditioner attracts the Hong Kong and mainland’s buyers because all new models can be find in Hong Kong and it has the guarantee, as a result, the consumption(C) and export (X) will increase hence GDP will increase further. Additionally, as there is an increase in demand for air-conditioner (D1 to D2), the equilibrium price will increase (P1 to P2) and the equilibrium quantity will increase (Q1 to Q2), so there is an increase in the quantity demand. (Refer to fig.2) And the total revenue for the seller of air-conditioner will increase. ( TR= P x Q) When there is increase in general price level, the fall of deflation rate slow down. Finally, because of the sale of fake good in mainland with poor quality and without guarantee, the mainland people are not satisfied with those goods. So when individual visit scheme practice, a good chance has come, Hong Kong real goods become the fake goods substitutes. As a result, people will bring more money come to Hong Kong, their consumption level increase and the CPI will increase. Beside, real goods will cause an increase in demand (fig 3) while the fake goods will cause a decrease in demand (fig 4). Fig (1) Fig (2) Fig (3) Fig (4)