SOURCES say the chances of selling the Ritz Carlton are now greater than before, with management rights having been slashed from 25 to 10 years. The asking price for the building has increased from $1.3 billion to $1.5 billion. Parties that have shown interest in the hotel are said to include Furama Kempinski and the Lai Sun group, both of which denied any interest. The chief executive of Furama says his group will not be interested until management rights are completely abolished, while an assistant director of the Lai Sun group says Lai Sun has not received any notification of the shortening of the management rights. - HK ECONOMIC JOURNAL MR Fok Chee-shing, managing director of Lippo Properties, says the Yu King Building in Wan Chai, earlier bought by EIE Development, will be rebuilt as a shopping complex. Total investment will be around $400 million. Mr Fok says Lippo will continue to seek other property investment opportunities, including office buildings offering reconstruction value. - HK ECONOMIC JOURNAL PANTRONICS Electronics, in which Starlight bought a 34 per cent stake in early 1991, plans a separate listing in July of this year. The issue would raise $70 million. When Starlight bought Pantronics it guaranteed a $20 million profit, but the subsidiary's first-year profits reached $30 million, the minimum requirement for listing. - TIN TIN DAILY NEWS HENDERSON Land yesterday issued a statement denying that it planned a share placement. - SING TAO MR Ng Kwong-fat, finance director of Fu Hui Jewellery, says his company is planning to set up jewellery shops in Guangzhou and Dalian. He says that as China has not allowed foreigners to set up retail jewellery outlets, holding company Fuzhou Fuhui will form a joint venture to develop its mainland jewellery business. - SING TAO FOLLOWING on from issues relating to the property market, the pricing system for public utilities has become the latest topic of discussion in the Legislative Council. The Government has proposed extending Hongkong Electric's franchise at the end of this year. Within the suggestion, it is proposed that the original profit scheme should be retained. Due to investment in the power plant on Lamma Island, as well as huge expenditure on environmental protection, Hongkong Electric's allowed profit is expected togrow substantially. - HK ECONOMIC TIMES ACCORDING to a senior official from Dongguan, negotiations with Cheung Kong on the city's deep-water terminal project are in the final stages, following several months of discussion. It is believed that the two parties could sign contracts in the near future. The official adds that Mr Li Ka-shing is very interested in the development and that discussions have been quickened up at his request. - WAH KIU YAT PO HONGKONG and China Gas' total sales of gas last year showed an increase of 12 per cent on 1991 sales, setting a new high following the 7.8 per cent increase recorded in 1991. The number of customers has increased by 70,000, matching the company's target. The company will announce its results next week for the year ending December 1992. The securities industry is now predicting net annual profits to come in at between $940 million and $957 million, an increase of between 21 per cent and 23 per cent.

There is also market speculation that Hongkong and China Gas may offer bonus shares, thus boosting its share price. In 1991, the group made a one-for-five bonus issue. - SING TAO MR Li I-nan, executive director of Yue Yuen Industrial, says the company is now discussing co-operation plans with mainland factories to operate a wholesale brand name running shoe business in Guangdong. This would be the company's first foray into the mainland market. Some form of agreement is expected within two months. Indonesian production facilities, set up with a Taiwanese shoe maker in a move aimed at reducing the risk imposed by China's threatened MFN status, will go into operation later this year.Mr Li says Yue Yuen will continue to set up production centres around Southeast Asia. - WAH KIU YAT PO A SOURCE says Wellington Plaza in Central was recently bought by a Thai overseas Chinese for $585 million. It is said the buyer will have to sign the official sale and purchase agreement on April 6. The buyer is understood to already be offering to resellthe property for $600 million. The registered owners of the building are Union G Investment and Sharp T investment. A senior executive of the original Japanese owner confirms the above news, and rejects the report that the sale was to a mainland group for $590 million. He says the building was not sold to the Chinese group because it had requested that the deal be deferred for six months. - SING TAO MR Lin Guangshao, deputy director of the Bank of China's H Chinese Press Digest is produced by Corporate Information Services. For pre-publication and other services, telephone 865 5006 or fax 865 5835.