Press Digest: Hong Kong - Nov 7

CEC International Holdings

07/11/2013 01:54

Nov 7 (Reuters) - These are some of the leading stories in Hong Kong newspapers on Thursday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST  -- Bank of Chongqing  1963.HK , the mainland's first city commercial lender to seek a Hong Kong stock market listing, says the 20.1 billion yuan ($3.30 billion) it lent to the local government does not pose a threat to its balance sheet. (http://link.reuters.com/muf54v) -- The central government has vowed to accelerate the development of low-cost carriers by liberalising airfares and setting up a special terminal for budget airlines in Beijing. (http://link.reuters.com/nuf54v) -- The 44-year-old Murray Building in Central, the former headquarters of various government departments set to be developed into a hotel, was sold to Wheelock and Company's  0020.HK  Harbour Centre Development for HK$4.4 billion ($567.62 million), 35 per cent higher than market expectations. (http://link.reuters.com/ruf54v) THE STANDARD -- A theme park being developed in Hengqin island off Zhuhai will not be a rival to Hong Kong Disneyland. Giving the assurance, the Hengqin New Area Administrative Committee chief said the positioning of the park is different from Disneyland or Ocean Park, but it could enrich the tourism resources of the special economic zone. (http://link.reuters.com/vuf54v) -- Hong Kong bra maker Top Form International  0333.HK  said it was confident of improving its performance during the current fiscal year from the previous 12 months as it had shifted some of its manufacturing to Southeast Asia, where productivity is higher than the mainland. (http://link.reuters.com/dyf54v) HONG KONG ECONOMIC JOURNAL  -- Swire Properties  1972.HK  has won a bid for a site earmarked for commercial property development in east Kowloon for HK$2.64 billion ($340.6 million), beating other 16 developers. -- Cheung Kong Infrastructure Holdings  1038.HK  is seen to  put a $2 billion bid for the Finnish electricity grid owned by Fortum  FUM1V.HE , according to a person with knowledge of the deal.  -- There are in total 2,170 billionaires in the world, of which Hong Kong has 75, ranking the seventh highest globally, according to a joint survey by UBS and Wealth X. MING PAO DAILY NEWS  -- Esprit's  0330.HK  chairman Raymond Or had on Oct. 30 bought one million company shares in the open market for HK$13.75 million ($1.8 million). Deputy chairman Paul Cheng bought 725,000 shares in total for HK$10.05 million, raising his stake in the fashion group to 0.07 percent from 0.04 percent.  For Chinese newspapers, see............... PRESS/CN    ($1 = 6.0927 Chinese yuan) ($1 = 7.7517 Hong Kong dollars) (Reporting by Donny Kwok; Editing by Gopakumar Warrier) ((donny.kwok@thomsonreuters.com)(+852 2843 6470; Reuters Messaging: donny.kwok.reuters.com@reuters.net)) Keywords: PRESS DIGEST HONGKONG/