Sands China's 2019 profit rises 8.4 pct to US$2 billion

Hong Kong-listed Macau gaming operator Sands China has announced that its profit increased 8.4 percent to US$2.03 billion last year, when net revenues rose 1.7 percent to US$8.81 billion.According to a statement by the US company yesterday, last year's operating expenses rose a mere 0.3 percent to US$6.53 billion. Adjusted property EBITDA grew 3.7 percent to US$3.19 billion. The statement quoted Board Chairman and CEO Sheldon Adelson as saying that the company's EBITDA margins

February 22, 2020 | BY admin

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Govt starts 4th round of selling facemasks

The Macau government started today its fourth round of selling facemasks to residents and non-resident workers at the fixed price of 8 patacas (US$1) for 10 masks. Macau had a population of 676,100 at the end of September last year, according to the latest available official statistics. Addressing the Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre's daily press conference about the viral threat yesterday, Health Bureau officials said the supply of facemasks was

February 22, 2020 | BY admin

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Inflation rate rises to 2.98 pct in January

Macau's composite consumer price index (CPI) rose 2.98 percent year-on-year last month, up by 0.42 percentage points compared to December 2019, the Statistics and Census Bureau (DSEC) has announced.A DSEC statement on Friday attributed the increment primarily to the higher cost of eating out and booking package tours, rising residential rents and higher prices of fresh pork and petrol. The price index of transport rose 6.53 percent, while the one of clothing and footwear fell 6.51

February 22, 2020 | BY admin

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1.4 million personal credit cards in Macau at end of 2019

The number of personal credit cards issued by banks in Macau rose 8.8 percent year-on-year to 1.4 million at the end of last year, the Macau Monetary Authorities (AMCM) has announced.A statement by Macau's quasi-central bank yesterday attributed the increase in personal credit cards last year primarily to the rising number of dual-currency and triple-currency cards. According to the statement, the number of pataca (MOP) cards rose 8.0 percent to 996,607, Hong Kong dollar cards increased

February 22, 2020 | BY admin

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Wilfred Wong reappointed president of Sands China

Hong Kong-listed Sands China Ltd. has announced the reappointment of Wilfred Wong Ying-wai, a former Hong Kong civil servant and ex-deputy to the National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, as its president.The US gaming company announced Wong's reappointment in a statement to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange yesterday.According to the statement, Wong, 67, "will provide overall leadership of the company and will focus on the long-term goals and strategic objectives of the business in Macau

February 22, 2020 | BY admin

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Melco's revenue rises, net income falls in 4Q

The net income attributable to Melco Resorts & Entertainment Limited for the fourth quarter of 2019 fell 46.2 percent year-on-year to US$68.1 million, the gaming operator announced in a statement yesterday. The company's net income in the fourth quarter of 2018 amounted to US$126.6 million, according to the statement. "Total operating revenues for the fourth quarter of 2019 were US$1.45 billion, representing  an increase of approximately 3 percent from US$1.41 billion

February 21, 2020 | BY admin

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No special flight for Filipinos stranded in Macau: consulate

There will be no "special flight" for Filipinos stranded in Macau, the Philippine Consulate-General in Macau has announced. A statement by the consulate yesterday said that "this development is regrettable," adding: "We appeal for the continuing understanding and cooperation of the Filipino community in Macau, especially those left stranded by the flight cancellations."The consulate reiterates its appeal to all Filipinos affected by the flight cancellations to

February 21, 2020 | BY admin

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COVID-19 risk has been reduced: health chief

Addressing yesterday’s daily press conference about Macau’s novel coronavirus (COVID-19) situation, Health Bureau (SSM) Director Lei Chin Ion said that the risk of the COVID-19 epidemic in Macau “can be regarded” as having been reduced “for the time being”, after the city has not confirmed a new COVID-19 case for more than two weeks, while urging residents to keep up all the necessary preventive measures, namely refraining from going out, always wearing a facemask when out and about

February 21, 2020 | BY admin

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Education official says no ‘back to school’ schedule yet for schools

There is no “back to school” schedule for non-tertiary education yet as the date would depend on Macau and its surrounding areas’ COVID-19 situation, Education and Youth Affairs Bureau’s (DSEJ) Department of Education Chief Kong Ngai said yesterday at the daily press conference by the Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre at the Health Bureau (SSM).Pupils’ safety was the primary factor of consideration by the bureau, Kong said.Kong pointed out that pupils are too young

February 21, 2020 | BY admin

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Tipsy teen driving without licence crashes twice

A 16-year-old local teenager was caught on Wednesday driving under the influence (DUI) and without a licence after he crashed twice, Public Security Police (PSP) spokesman Choi Iok Kin said during a press conference yesterday.The boy, surnamed Fong, attends a middle school in the peninsula’s northern district.According to Choi, the police saw a young man riding a motorbike along Estrada de São Francisco during a routine patrol around 3 a.m. on Wednesday.The teen hit and damaged the railing

February 21, 2020 | BY admin

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Airport suffers steep drop in passengers, flights: CAM

Executive Committee of Macau International Airport Company (CAM) Chairman Deng Jun said this week that during the period from February 1-16 the number of passengers and aircraft movements (takeoffs and touchdowns) at Macau International Airport (MIA) has dropped 90 percent and 70 percent respectively.Deng made the remarks during the 3rd meeting for the CAM Epidemic Prevention Working Group on Monday, according to a CAM statement released on Wednesday.Along with the local government, CAM has

February 21, 2020 | BY admin

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Literary Festival falls victim to COVID-19

Due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic, the 9th Macau Literature Festival originally scheduled for next month has been postponed, the organisers said in a statement yesterday. “Due to the nationwide anti-epidemic measures caused by the [novel] coronavirus, transportation and exchange activities in Macau and [mainland] China have been affected.“In accordance with the Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) government’s advice and anti-epidemic measures, ‘The Script Road’

February 21, 2020 | BY admin

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Trial of ex-trade promotion chief for graft to start on April 27: report

Public broadcaster TDM-Rádio Macau reported yesterday that the former president of the government’s Macau Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM) Jackson Chang, aka Cheong Chou Weng, will go on trial on April 27 for a raft of alleged crimes such as organised crime, corruption, money laundering and breach of secrecy. Chang was remanded in custody in July last year in the wake of a 2018 investigation by the Commission Against Corruption (CCAC) into corruption involving the

February 21, 2020 | BY admin

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Snapshots of daily life as city fights COVID-19

A man sits on a rock by a pond in Lou Lim Ieoc Garden as the government reopens some public parks and gardens, which were previously closed as part of the government’s COVID-19 prevention measures.A security staff scans a resident’s temperature, the government’s latest novel coronavirus prevention measure for people entering parks and gardens.People queue up to get their temperature checked upon entering New Yaohan department store as it reopened at noon. People, some not wearing

February 21, 2020 | BY admin

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