Portfolio Investment Income (PII) increased by 6.8%, mainly attributable to the increase in dividend income received from holdings of non-resident shares listed on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong. Other Investment Income (OII), however, recorded a drop of 15.6%, mainly due to the significant decrease in interest rates of the banking sector.
Within total factor income outflow, DII increased markedly by 36.9% over a year earlier, mainly attributable to the sustained growth in earnings of some prominent multinational enterprises from direct investment in Hong Kong.
PII rose sharply by 52.8%, mainly attributable to the increase in dividend income received from holdings of resident equity securities. OII also recorded a slight increase of 2.9% over a year earlier, largely caused by increased liabilities of the local banking sector.
Analysed by country/territory, the mainland of China continued to be the largest source of Hong Kong's external factor income inflow in the first quarter of 2008, accounting for 33.6%.
The British Virgin Islands (BVI) came next, with a share of 22.3%, reflecting continued investment income inflow from this tax haven economy where Hong Kong companies had set up a considerable number of holding companies. Other major source countries/territories were the United Kingdom and the United States of America, at 7.5% and 6.9% respectively.
The mainland of China and the BVI remained the most important destinations for Hong Kong's external factor income outflow in the first quarter of 2008, accounting for 29.9% and 21.7% respectively. Other major destination countries/territories included the United States of America, at 9.0%, and the Netherlands, at 8.8%.