Monetary And Financial System In Hong Kong

This book provides a comprehensive and up-to-date description of the Hong Kong financial system, a system that has undergone immense change in recent years. Written by scholars and professionals in the finance sector, the book covers all aspects of the financial system--commercial banking and non-depository institutions, the major financial markets, monetary policy, international financial relations, and information technology.

Since 1983 Hong Kong has pegged its currency to the US dollar through a currency board system that is unique among the world's advanced economies. In this first comprehensive book about Hong Kong's monetary system, Tony Latter draws on his considerable experience in central banking generally, and with the Hong Kong Monetary Authority in particular, to give a detailed account of how the system operates; why it was introduced; what are the important differences from other monetary regimes; and how it has performed. After a brief overview of Hong Kong's currency board system, two chapters explain the key features of mainstream monetary policy as practised in most economies and how the currency board differs. Then three chapters deal with the history of money in Hong Kong from the mid-1930s, describing the salient events and changes of the period up to the 1983 crisis and the consequent re-adoption of the currency board. Descriptions of the functioning of the system after 1983 and its evolution to the present day then follow. The book concludes with assessments of the performance of the currency board since 1983 and of the Hong Kong economy more widely. This book is designed both to inform lay readers and to provide substance for monetary economists. Given the key role of monetary policy in providing a stable foundation for a strong economy, the book is of importance for all business people in Hong Kong, while the more analytical sections provide essential reading for all students of economics.

This book provides a comprehensive and up-to-date description of the financial system of Hong Kong, a system which has undergone immense changes in recent years. The book, written by scholars and profesionals in the finance sector, covers all aspects of the financial system--commercial banking and non-depository institutions, the major financial markets, monetary policy, international financial relations, and information technology.

This paper evaluates key findings of the Financial System Stability Assessment for Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), including Reports on the Observance of Standards and Codes on Banking Supervision, Securities Regulation, Insurance Supervision, Payment Systems, Securities Settlement Systems, Monetary and Financial Policy Transparency, and Corporate Governance. Overall, the financial system in Hong Kong SAR is resilient, sound, and overseen by a comprehensive supervisory framework. The banking system is sufficiently well capitalized and profitable to be able to withstand the more likely macroeconomic shocks, although some pressures on bank profits are emerging.

The financial markets of Hong Kong have a reputation for volatility, but careful analysis of past behaviour reveals consistent trends and coherent actions. This study, first published in 1991, at a time of uncertainty before Hong Kong’s transfer to China in 1997, analyses each of the financial markets in the colony, and explains the activities of banks, deposit-taking companies, the stock exchange, and markets in capital, gold, futures, unit trusts, and foreign exchange. Examining these in terms of structure, regulation and in competition, it constitutes not just a description but a thorough analysis of the characteristic dynamics of each market.

This Financial System Stability Assessment report on Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) highlights that HKSAR’s financial sector is very well regulated, with the capacity to withstand a diversity of shocks. The sector, however, faces major risks, which puts a significant premium on effective liquidity management, macroprudential oversight, and microprudential supervision. The regulation and supervision framework of the financial sector is of a high caliber, and displays a high level of compliance with international standards, but there remains scope for further strengthening. Financial market infrastructures are highly sophisticated, but further enhancements are needed to fully comply with new international standards.