BEIJING began its annual National People's Congress sessions on Monday. Premier Mr Li Peng announced plans for a five-nation tour for late April and early May, an indication that he is assured of election to a new term.
ON MONDAY, investors dumped their shares and knocked more than five per cent or 315.79 points off the Hang Seng index, bringing the market's decline to almost nine per cent since Governor Mr Chris Patten's speech the preceding Friday.
SHARE prices made a strong recovery on Wednesday with the beginning of a speech made by China's top official on Hongkong affairs, Mr Lu Ping. Although the index dropped below 5,800, its lowest since the current wave of Sino-British friction, it ended at 5,958.33.
THE European Community announced there was a strong possibility of scrapping preferential trade status for Hongkong because it could no longer be classed as an underdeveloped country.
THE United States' trade deficit with China increased to US$1.58 billion in January, up sharply from December's $1.16 billion.
Company Results HSBC HOLDI Agenda CENSUS and Statistics Department is scheduled to announce: The Consumer Price Index figures for February 1993, tomorrow; The survey results of the Quarterly Survey of Restaurant Receipts and Purchases for the fourth-quarter of 1992 on March 26.
