Hong Kong Bankers Association: It is expected that HIBOR will remain relatively low in the second half of the year compared to the beginning of the year, and the financial market is expected to remain active.

The Hong Kong Association of Banks held a meeting today (July 24). The chairman of the association, Alice Hu, stated that it is widely expected in the market that the Federal Reserve may lower interest rates one to two times in the second half of the year. With HIBOR trending upwards, this will narrow the gap between Hong Kong and U.S. interest rates. However, it is anticipated that HIBOR will still remain low compared to the beginning of the year, which is beneficial for economic recovery and is expected to keep the financial market active. In the first half of this year, the uncertain global economic environment caused by U.S. tariff policies and geopolitical tensions stimulated market volatility worldwide. However, Hong Kong's financial system continues to remain robust, with the economy showing sustained recovery and the capital market flourishing. There has been a significant inflow of funds and the investment atmosphere in the financial sector has improved. Alice Hu mentioned that since the beginning of the year, the banking industry has organized over 60 seminars, workshops, and networking events specifically for small and medium-sized enterprises, to assist them in leveraging the advantages of the rapid development of the digital economy and exploring opportunities to expand into new markets. Additionally, with support from the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, the Hong Kong Association of Banks has held two seminars on new opportunities in the ASEAN region. Since the beginning of the year, the banking industry has organized over 40 public education and community events to enhance the public's awareness of fraud prevention.