香港私營部門連續第20個月收縮
Some Asian economies got a boost last month as demand picked up and new business inflows grew more robust. Hong Kong? Not so much.
隨着需求的復甦和新流入業務愈發強勁地增長，部分亞洲經濟體上個月出現了增長。然而，香港卻不在此列。
The Nikkei Hong Kong purchasing managers’ index tracking the territory’s private sector business activity came in at 48.2 in October, dropping back after gains put it at 49.3 in September and in in sight of the 50-point line delineating contraction from expansion.
跟蹤研究香港私營部門業務活動的日經(Nikkei)香港採購經理人指數(PMI)在10月份的讀數爲48.2，這是繼9月份增至49.3之後再次回落，而且落在了50這個榮枯線以下。
The reading marked the twentieth straight month of contraction for Hong Kong’s private sector as new work from mainland China dropped at the sharpest rate in four months and weaker demand prompted a reduction in output.
這一讀數標誌着，由於中國內地的新業務出現四個月內最快下滑以及需求降低導致產量下滑，香港私營部門的業務活動連續20個月出現收縮。
That led to the fastest rate of job cuts in six months during October, but despite this staff costs at businesses rose again – as they have in five of the last six months. Meanwhile input costs reversed course from a dramatic rise in September to register a sharp decrease last month, possibly due to more favourable exchange rates for Hong Kong’s US dollar-pegged currency and cheaper new products.
這一局面導致10月份香港工作崗位以半年內最快的速度流失。然而儘管如此，商界用工成本卻再次攀升——此前六個月裏有五個月也是這樣。與此同時，上個月的投入成本走勢逆轉了9月份的大幅上升勢頭，錄得急劇下滑的結果，其原因可能是由於緊盯美元的港幣匯率上升以及新產品的降價。
Markit economist Bernard Aw, who compiles the monthly survey, said in lieu of evidence of stronger demand in the months to come, “the private sector is unlikely to lift itself out of the current downturn.”
編制這一月度調查的Markit經濟學家Bernard Aw表示，今後幾個月並沒有需求走強的跡象，“私營部門不太可能擺脫目前的下行行情”。
