Hong Kong's Lam Says Protests Hurt Economy More Than SARS, 2008 Crisis

The economic downdraft caused by Hong Kong’s protests is worse than that during the SARS epidemic and the 2008 global financial crisis, Chief Executive Carrie Lam said.

Speaking in Hong Kong Friday, Lam admitted that many people are unsatisfied with the government but that doesn’t mean they can hurt the city. Lam said measures are needed to support the economy.

Weeks of protests over the government’s extradition bill have hit confidence, retail spending and business activity hard at a time when the economy was already slowing. Gross domestic product contracted in the second quarter from the previous three months, leaving open the prospect of a technical recession if the unrest continues.

Hong Kong witnessed the deepest deterioration in private sector conditions for over a decade at the start of the third quarter, according to IHS Markit. The former British colony’s purchasing manager gauge sank to 43.8 in July from 47.9 in June.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.