2012年8月31日 星期五

2012年8月結算


恒生指數:19,482 按月 338

投資組合盈利(自2010年2月9日成立): 7.6%

現金比率:49.8%

(連股息、定期到期利息)  




2012年8月30日 星期四

港府中短長期措施遏樓市

30-08-2012  星島日報

行政長官梁振英公布一系列中短長期措施,為樓市降溫。

梁振英表示,政府高度關注樓市近日升溫,因應當前情況,會推出一系列中短長期共十項措施,協助基層上及助中產置業。

他表示,年底推出的首個「置安心」項目,位於青衣青綠街的首批一千個單位,由可租可售,改為全數出售,申請資格維持在家庭月入4萬元以下,2013年初預售樓花,樓價有折扣,低於市價。而其餘四千個置安心單位,會在稍後推出。

房委會將加快推售剩餘全數830個居屋貨尾單位,明年初接受申請,當中825個位於天頌苑。另外,第四季將推出2600個私人住宅單位用地拍賣,6幅來自勾地表,一幅是荃灣西站發展項目,會視乎市場反應,適度加售住宅用地。政府亦會加快審批預售摟花,預計未來三、四年,會有六萬五千個一手單位供應。

另外,政府亦會改建或重建工廠大廈作為住宅用途,柴灣工廈預期可供應180個公屋單位,以一人及一房單位為主,滿足單身人士及小家庭。市建局亦會開展工廈重建的先導計劃,研究將重建市區舊型工廈作住宅及辦公室用途。

中期方面,政府會將一些政府機構社區用地,包括36幅社用地改作住宅用地,提供11900個單位,於啟德發展區設樓換樓方案,推售公屋480單位,料於2017年落成;將長沙灣休憩用地改建成住宅地,計畫建2300單位。

梁振英指,政府高度關注樓市走勢,故成立兩級機構,包括由不同界別組成的督導委員會,及跨部門小組,研究房屋政策,小組成員名單將於短期公布,跨部門小組將於下月5日召開首次會議,10月初會展工有關研究工作。

梁振英強調,他在競選政綱提出的「港人港地」政策,並無改變,會物色土地,研究在賣地條文內,加入條款,只要法律條款完成,隨時可以執行,日後建成單位,只可售予本港居民。

梁振英重申,政府會密切關注樓市走勢,又指在現時市場資金充裕及樓市需求強勁的情況下,經濟及樓市風險不容忽視,政府會適時推對應措施。

國壽A股半年少賺跌25.7% 遜預期


28-08-2012  信報

中國人壽(02628)的A股在上海交易所率先公布,根據內地會計準則,半年淨利96.35億元(人民幣,下同),按年少賺25.7%。差過市場預期的107億元。公司指利潤下跌,是因為國內外經濟形勢影響,令業務發展明顯放緩。

期內營業收入2252.6億元,同比下降 2.9%。

至於其他業務指標,截至6月底,公司的內含值3343.26億元,較2011年底增14.2%;新業務價值為124.94億元,按年增2.5%;公司的市場份額為32.4%,繼續佔據內地壽險市場主導地位。不過,公司期內的退保金則按年增長 7.2%,主要原因是受各類銀行理財產品沖擊的影響,令部分銀保產品退保增加。 

另外,在發行280億元次級債去補充資本後,國壽截至6月底,償付能力充足率為230.56%。 

在內地投資市場不振下,國壽也調整了投資組合。公司的定期存款比例由去年底的34.84%提升至37.66%,股權型投資則由去年底的12.17%降低至10.01%;墊高了期內的投資收益。

2012年8月29日 星期三

My Eco Life (2) : A review of six green laundry detergents

from: http://grist.org/article/its-a-wash/

Let’s get down and dirty … about your laundry habits. You may think you’re in the clear, but every time you use your conventional, chemical-filled detergent, you could be affecting your health — as well as the health of waterways downstream.
That doesn’t sound so fresh (and so clean, clean), so I decided to seek out green laundry detergents and find out which one performs best.

While shopping, I kept an eye out for the nasty stuff — the surfactant nonylphenol ethoxylate or NPE, an endocrine disruptor and estrogen mimic; phosphates, which help remove minerals and food bits but cause harmful algal blooms in waterways (these have been phased out by U.S. companies); and bleach, which gets it white, but doesn’t treat your lungs right. The problem is, most detergents don’t so much list ingredients in that sort of detail — and they’re not required by law to disclose their ingredients to consumers even when asked. Instead, they use more vague terms like “surfactant” or “washing soda” or “brightener,” so I found myself looking at their various eco-claims — that is, what they say their products don’t contain.
I also decided to go with detergents “free and clear” of dyes and perfumes, because why bother with possible irritants and allergens if you have the option? A number of the bottles proudly announce that their contents are biodegradable or petroleum-free. According to the Seventh Generation bottle, if every U.S. household replaced one bottle of petroleum-based detergent with a plant-based one, 149,000 barrels of oil could be saved — enough to heat and cool 8,500 homes for a year.

I chose relatively small bottles of detergent as well. Normally, I’m a fan of buying in bulk to save packaging, but I knew I’d be lugging them all home in a backpack, by foot, uphill both ways in the rain. Most of them are also labeled as “concentrated” — an important distinction because, as the Method bottle states, over 400 million gallons of water are used to dilute conventional laundry detergents. The concentrated formulas use less water but still rinse clean — and work in both conventional and high-efficiency machines.
To test the detergents, I planned to do a load of clothes with each. But my clothes don’t usually get very dirty — me working a posh desk job and all — so I wanted to do some elaborate stain experimenting like they do in all the commercials.
This is where I went wrong.
Using cotton T-shirts that were headed to the Goodwill anyway, I applied six-inch stains of ketchup, balsamic vinaigrette, blueberries, and red wine to the front side, and then rubbed the back of each shirt in mud. All without thinking about how detergents on their own aren’t really meant to get out stains that tough, and if I were really doing laundry, I’d use vinegar and club soda and whatever else until I was sure it would wash clean. Instead, all I did was follow the instructions on each bottle for pre-treatment.
Do you know how hard it is to get blueberries out? I’m no Lady Macbeth, but by the end of the trial, I was pretty close to cursing those damned spots and washing my hands of the entire project. That hitch aside, the rest of my clothes came out just fine with each load — so the real differences lie in the eco-claims, the smell, and the bang for your buck.
H
ere are the results:

Biokleen Free & Clear Laundry Liquid

64 fl. oz./1 oz. per load/64 loads/3X concentrated
$9.99
Eco-claims: Fragrance free; clear of dyes and brighteners; environmentally friendly with no negative effects on rivers, streams, plants, or wildlife; kind to those with chemical sensitivities and allergies; no artificial fragrance, colors, or preservatives; rapidly biodegrades and ozone safe; no animal testing and no animal ingredients; contains no phosphate, chlorine, ammonia, petroleum solvents, alcohol, butyl, glycol ether, SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate) or SLES (sodium laureth sulfate), EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid), DEA (diethanolamine; no SARA Title III, CA 65, or EPA priority pollutants; no material listed by the ACGIH (American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists) as hazardous.
Ingredients: Surfactants and conditioners from coconut and/or corn, grapefruit seed and pulp extract, linear sulfonate, filtered water.
Stain instructions: Pre-treat stains by applying directly to stain, gently rub in and launder as directed.
Actual smell: Soapy, like a bottle of bubbles, but not overpowering.
This bottle is the least exciting looking of all of them, but it has some hefty eco-cred. The laundry list of chemicals it doesn’t contain makes me wonder about what all is in the other detergents I tested. Still, this is a performance review, and with that in mind, I have to comment on the claim that this one “removes the toughest dirt, grease, stains, and odors.” It just didn’t happen. Most of the dirt is gone from the back of the shirt and the ketchup and vinaigrette are hardly visible, but the blueberries and red wine did this one in.

Earth Friendly Products Ultra ECOS Free and Clear All Natural Laundry Detergent

100 fl. oz./1 oz. per load/100 loads in HE machines, 50 in non-HE machines
$12.99
Eco-claims: Phosphate-, formaldehyde-, and petrochemical-free; kind to sensitive skin; neutral pH; plant-based, non-polluting ingredients; septic safe and gray-water safe; 100 percent biodegradable; sodium lauryl sulfate-free and free of non-ionic surfactants derived from SLS; not tested on animals and no animal ingredients.
Ingredients: 100 percent natural anionic coconut kernel oil-based surfactant, soap bark, chamomile, horsetail plant, and purified water.
Stain instructions: Pour some directly onto stained area, rub lightly, and wash as usual.
Actual smell: Slight vinegary scent.
Interestingly, this one says it’s “designed to quickly remove ground-in dirt and stains” — a claim I’d have to question, seeing as how the dirt that I ground in is still very much visible and the blueberry stain still looks good enough to eat. The ketchup and vinaigrette stains are mostly faded, though, so perhaps this one works better on grease.

Method Free + Clear Laundry Detergent

32 fl. oz./1 oz. per load/32 loads/3X concentrated
$9.99
Eco-claims: Contains no perfumes or dyes; phosphate-free; biodegradable; never tested on animals.
Ingredients: Anionic and non-ionic surfactants, enzymes, buffering agents, stabilizer, stain penetrant, brightener, and foam control agents.
Stain instructions: If heavily soiled, add an extra 1/2 oz. of detergent.
Actual smell: Like baby powder and rubber, or the inside of a latex balloon.
The Method-washed shirt still has about half its dirt, maybe all of its red wine, and visible amounts of the ketchup, vinaigrette, and blueberries — though the blueberries are more faded than some detergents left them. This one does come in one of the more stylish bottles, though, which I applaud — but performance is key.

Mountain Green Skin Sensitive Free & Clear All Natural Ultra Laundry Detergent

32 fl. oz./1 oz. per load/32 loads/3X concentrated
$11.99
Eco-claims: No harsh perfumes, alcohol, dyes, chlorine bleach, petroleum-based ingredients, enzymes, optical brighteners, SLS, or parabens; neutral pH; cruelty-free; readily biodegradable, nontoxic, 100 percent phosphate and phosphorus free; safe for septic systems and for gray-water use.
Ingredients: Purified mountain water, vegetable-based cleaning agents (derived from coconut/palm oil), mild preservatives (food grade).
Stain instructions: Apply directly onto stained area, rub gently, and soak before normal wash.
Actual smell: Like a lemon pie, a slight sugary lemon scent.
All of the stains on this tester are still visible, though a bit fainter. The vinaigrette seems to have given it the most trouble, while the red wine is the most faded. If you can look past the stain-fighting abilities of this one, it does have an impressive list of eco-claims and the scent was by far the sweetest.

Planet Ultra Liquid Laundry Detergent

50 fl. oz./4 oz per load/12.5 loads
$6.49
Eco-claims: Certified biodegradable, no added dyes or fragrances, not tested on animals, 100 percent phosphate free, hypoallergenic.
Ingredients: Coconut oil based cleaners, salt, washing soda, ethoxylated alcohol (an alternative to NPE).
Stain instructions: If heavily soiled, add an extra 1 oz. of detergent.
Actual smell: Almost odorless, very slight vinegar scent
I recommend eating your balsamic vinaigrette verrry carefully if you’ll be using this detergent to clean your soiled shirt. This oily stain stands out the most among the faded blueberries, ketchup, and, to a lesser degree, red wine. Half the dirt remains as well.

Seventh Generation Free & Clear Natural Laundry Detergent

32 fl. oz./1.6 oz. per load/20 loads/2X ultra concentrated
$6.99
Eco-claims: No optical brighteners, no dyes or fragrance, no phosphates; safe for septic and gray-water systems; no animal derived ingredients; all ingredients disclosed.
Ingredients: A low-foaming blend of naturally derived cleaning agents (coconut-derived surfactants, glycerin), natural water softeners, alkalinity builders, anti-redeposition agents (sodium citrate, borax), non-animal derived enzymes to remove protein and starch stains and protect fabrics, plant derived anti-foaming agents (glycerol monooleate, oleic acid), cleaning enhancer (calcium chloride), preservative (less than 0.05 percent), water.
Stain instructions: Sort and pretreat (pour directly on stained fabric and rub gently; allow to soak before washing); use a full cap for heavily soiled loads.
Actual smell: Like Play-Doh.
Of all the detergents, this is the only one that claims to disclose all of its ingredients and appears to do so — even if that means listing chemicals we can’t pronounce. It also does a great job of explaining what that all means. In terms of the stains, the dirt is only visible upon close examination and the ketchup is gone. The remaining vinaigrette, blueberries, and red wine are pretty well faded — this detergent was the best at removing most of all of the stains.

All Small & Mighty Free & Clear

32 fl. oz./1 oz. per load/32 loads/3X concentrated
$7.45
Eco-claims: Free of perfume and clear of dyes, No. 1 recommended by dermatologists and allergists, safe for septic tanks, does not contain phosphorus, surfactants are biodegradable.
Ingredients: Cleaning agents (anionic and non-ionic surfactants), buffering agent, stabilizer, and brightening agent.
Stain instructions: Rub a small amount directly into the stain before washing.
Actual smell: Virtually odorless, faint scent of clay
I added this detergent into the mix after all the rest of my trials came back with stains. I wanted to make sure my experiment wasn’t just taking the eco-brands to the cleaners. This one still couldn’t make a clean sweep of it, though. The dirt and ketchup are gone, and the red wine is mostly faded, but the vinaigrette and the blueberries are still causing trouble.
The bottom line: It’s a wash — none of the detergents fully removed all of the stains, but they all produced otherwise-clean clothes. And though all claimed to be free of perfumes, each had a singular scent. For maximum eco-claim and stain removal with the lowest price and least-perfumy scent, we suggest Seventh Generation Free & Clear.


2012年8月27日 星期一

建行半年多賺14.5%至1062億人民幣

26-08-2012  信報

中國建設銀行股份(00939)公布截至2012年6月底止6個月業績,按國際財務報告準則計算,期內歸屬於該行股東的淨利潤為1062.83億元(人民幣‧下同),按年增長14.5%,每股盈利0.43元,不派中期息。

業績報告指出,該集團期內盈利穩步增長,主要受惠資産規模適度增長,淨利息收益率有所回升,帶動利息淨收入按年增加16.46%至1696.92億元,在經營收入中佔比74.49%。


另外,2012年上半年,該集團淨利息收益率爲2.71%,按年上升5個基點,主要受惠該集團議價能力逐步提高,以及存量貸款重定價兩方面因素影響,貸款收益率穩步上升;此外,亦由於信貸資源趨緊,票據貼現收益率快速上揚,以及優化債券投資期限與結構,債券投資收益率穩步上升。

至於2012年上半年,該集團利息支出1257.41億元,較去年同期增加 479.89億元,增幅爲61.72%。

此外,於2012年6月30日,客戶貸款和墊款損失準備餘額1847.63億元,較去年末增加135.46億元。減值準備對不良貸款比率爲262.38%,較去年末提高20.94個百分點;減值準備對貸款總額比率爲2.62%,較去年末略降0.02個百分點。

同時,於2012年6月30日,該集團資本充足率爲13.82%,核心資本充足率爲11.19%,分別較去年末上升0.14和0.22個百分點。

另外,於2012年6月30日,不良貸款餘額704.17億元,較去年末減少4.98億元;不良貸款率1.00%,較去年末下降0.09個百分點;關注類貸款佔比2.79%,較去年末下降0.25個百分點。

林書豪坦承 成名令自己迷失

27-08-2012  星島日報

美籍華裔NBA球星林書豪昨現身亞洲國際博覽館,出席《生命灌籃》分享會。這位二十四歲球星早前颳起「林瘋」熱潮(Linsanity)威風八面,但他坦言成名後曾一度迷失,更曾在二月底敗陣後痛哭,重新尋找打球的目的。

《生命灌籃》分享會昨午三時半於亞洲國際博覽館舉行,免費門券於各教會派發,吸引超過一萬名觀眾入場。一身簡約裝束的林書豪於掌聲中登場,進行四十五分鐘的個人短講,分享曾經迷失的成名路。

二月初憑連續三仗出神入化的表現,林書豪由長踞冷板凳的後備,搖身一變成為NBA紅透半邊天的球星。不過,他直言成名卻令自己迷失:「成名、總 冠軍、『MVP』,那時才發現自己的欲望並無窮無盡,慶幸神指示了我,我是為神而打球的。」他更透露,二月底大敗給熱火後,曾在更衣室痛哭,回家仍抱着哥 哥哭。

「就是在患難中也是歡歡喜喜的,因為知道患難生忍耐,忍耐生老練,老練生盼望,盼望不等於羞恥。」他更特意要求教會將經文製成手帶贈送觀眾,藉此勉勵港人追夢:「這句經文是我人生中的座右銘,希望你們能永不放棄自己所追求的。」

分享會後,林書豪更向觀眾贈送親筆簽名籃球,約晚上六時半結束五天訪港之旅。他今天將赴台一周,出席四天的籃球訓練營,以及公益、商業宣傳活動及見證會,預計九月三日返美。

2012年8月24日 星期五

OPUS呎價7.5萬 創亞洲新高

24-08-2012  星島日報


 東半山新建地標、獲市場喻為「藝術珍品」的超豪宅OPUS HONG KONG錄首宗成交,造價即一鳴驚人,該盤一個六千多方呎全層戶,剛由超級富豪以約四億七千萬元購入「珍藏」,呎價達逾七萬五千元,一躍登上亞洲分層豪宅 呎價新高紀錄寶座,除打破天匯保持逾一年的舊紀錄,並僅次於倫敦One Hyde Park的頂層特色戶。

由太古地產發展的OPUS HONGKONG,為東半山最新落成的豪宅項目,發展商不但甚為惜售,對租售價的要求亦極高,繼早前錄富豪租客以月租八十五萬元,承租項目地下連花園戶, 以呎租達一百四十二元,刷新全港呎租紀錄新高後,昨市場更首錄成交個案,呎價同樣成為市場的里程碑。

呎價僅次於倫敦豪宅

地產界人士指,該盤八樓全層單位,以天價四億七千萬元成交,面積六千二百方呎,平均呎價七萬五千八百零六元。

本報就有關消息向發展商求證,太古發言人指,對上述有關查詢,沒有任何相關資料可以提供。而據消息人士指,買家極有機會為外籍人士,亦有消息指為早前先後兩次到訪參觀的影星關之琳。

據單位圖則顯示,建築面積達六千二百方呎,為四房三廳間隔,四房全為套房,其中主人套房內置豪華衣帽間及獨立古典浴缸。而三廳則分別為家庭廳、客廳及飯廳,每個廳的空間偌大,前臨落地玻璃幕牆,景觀一望無際,維港兩岸闊麗景觀盡入眼簾。

6200呎四房三廳間隔

發展商對於項目銷售一直維持相當惜售態度,並謂要收到「十分吸引」的價格才考慮割愛。市場人士預期,由於該項目採一梯一伙設計,尚餘未租售的一個地下連花園戶,及樓層更高的單位,若發展商肯割愛出售,呎價勢再創新高。

該豪宅盤矗立於東半山司徒拔道近山頂位置,由於外形儼如藝術品,加上設計別具一格,已漸漸成為該區的地標式住宅建築物。項目為一梯一伙設計,僅 提供十二個單位,建築面積由六千至六千九百方呎。住戶可以三百六十度環迴享受不同景致,背向青蔥山巒,前臨廣闊維港海景,開揚壯麗,地產業界更指其為「有 錢都買唔到的藝術品」。

「有錢都買唔到的藝術品」

是次成交的單位已打破亞洲分層戶呎價紀錄,舊紀錄由恒基旗下西半山天匯保持,為項目六十六樓A室,在去年四月以三億六千萬元售出,當時呎價為六 萬三千八百七十五元。不過,若連同洋房項目,現時全港最高呎價為華置主席劉鑾雄等持有的深水灣道3號,成交價八億八千九百萬元,呎價達十萬零八百一十元。

超級豪宅售價動輒以億元計算,現時全球最高分層呎價豪宅坐落英國,為倫敦 One Hyde Park單位,在年初一個實用面積九千方呎的五房大宅,以六千萬英鎊沽出(折合約七億四千萬港元),每方呎六千六百六十七英鎊(折合約八萬二千二百多港元)。