The Macau Metro Monitor, July 24, 2012
TYPHOON SIGNAL 8+: VICENTE STRANDS 2,000 PASSENGERS AT AIRPORT AND FERRY TERMINAL Macau Business, Macau Daily Times
Macau raised its typhoon warning to Signal 9 at 2:15am, the first time it was used since 1999. The Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau downgraded the storm warning at 5:00am. More than 100 passengers were stranded at the Outer Harbor Ferry Terminal after failing to get onto the final ferry to Hong Kong, and some sources said over 1,800 passengers were grounded at the airport. Ferry terminals for boats to Macau and China have been closed.
CHINA BIG FOUR BANKS ISSUED AROUND CNY50 BILLION NEW YUAN LOANS 1ST HALF JULY WSJ
According to Shanghai Securities News, China's biggest four banks issued around CNY50 billion (US$7.9 billion) in new yuan loans in the first half of July, double that of the same period of last month. The increase was due partly to banks starting to extend loans for some projects that are aimed at revitalizing economic growth.
The four banks--Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Ltd., China Construction Bank Corp., Bank of China Ltd. and Agricultural Bank of China Ltd --usually account for 30% of new yuan loans issued by China's whole banking system. New yuan loans issued by China's whole banking system are expected to be around CNY650 billion in July.
Chinese financial institutions extended CNY919.8 billion in new yuan loans in June, up from CNY793.2 billion in May, in another sign of easing liquidity as policy makers try to boost economic growth.