Approvals of residential mortgage loans slump

New approvals of residential mortgage loans (RMLs) decreased by 35.8 percent during the first month of 2016, while those of commercial real estate loans (CRELs) went in opposite direction, increasing by 1.3 percent during the same period. A report issued by the Monetary Authority of Macau states that in January 2016, local bank approvals of new RMLs decreased month-to-month to MOP3.2 billion (35.8 percent), with those for non-residents decreasing further (44 percent). In addition, these kinds of credit loans were attributed almost entirely to local residents (95.1 percent). As for new CRELs, the slight growth of 1.3 percent month-to-month represents a value of MOP5.3 billion. Regarding commercial real estate loans, the percentage of the loans attributed to local residents is even higher, with non-residents only accounting for 0.3 percent of recipients.

Coutinho re-elected as head of ATFPM

Lawmaker Pereira Coutinho was the sole candidate for the Macau Civil Servants Association (ATFPM) board election, which took place last Saturday. A total of 4,260 members voted to confer a new four-year term (2016-2020) on List A (the single list), headed by Coutinho, which gathered the votes of 4,238 members (99.5 percent). The winning list is headed by Pereira Coutinho as chairman of the board, with Rita Santos as Chairman of the General Assembly, and Mary Leong Magdalene as Chairman of the Supervisory Board. The list also includes the vice presidents of the board: Ché Sai Wang, Leong Weng Chai, Arnaldo Ernesto Silveiro Gomes Martins and Armando Jesus.

Xue Yihan’s family donates 12 prints to Macau

The opening of “Heart Carving ─ Xue Yihan’s Scenes of Macao Printmaking Exhibition,” organized by the Cultural Affairs Bureau and co-organized by Albergue SCM and Beishan Lihe Creative Cultural Industries, Ltd, was held on Friday at the Albergue SCM – A2 Gallery. Aiming to promote cultural development between Zhuhai and Macau, family members of Xue Yihan donated 12 of the artist’s prints to the Cultural Affairs Bureau, to form part of a permanent collection.