Optimism among small and medium-sized businesses in Hong Kong has slipped for the second quarter of the year, a survey has found.
The Hong Kong Productivity Council's quarterly business operating index has fallen 6 percentage points to 14.2 per cent for April-June after surging for the previous three quarters.
The index is calculated by subtracting the percentage of businesses with a negative outlook from those with a positive outlook.
A general manager at the council, Vincent Li Kai-lun, said the level of optimism fell because the second quarter was traditionally a slower period for businesses after the Christmas and Lunar New Year periods.
The council surveyed 566 small and medium companies for the index, with 310 businesses in the service industry and 256 in manufacturing.
Sub-indices covering market opportunities, finance and investment, operating costs and risk assessment all slipped slightly for the quarter.
