Information from the Statistics and Census Service indicated that the global economic recession and weakened investor confidence affected the number of new companies incorporated to drop by 25.3% year-on-year to 547 in the first quarter of 2009, and the total value of registered capital decreased notably by 73.8% to MOP44 million. Among these new companies, 212 (with registered capital of MOP23 million) were operating in Wholesale and Retail, 99 (MOP7 million) in Business Services and 82 (MOP5 million) in Construction.

Furthermore, 420 new companies (76.8% of total) were incorporated with registered capital of MOP50,000 or less and the respective capital (MOP12 million) made up merely 26.6% of the total. Meanwhile, there were 3 new companies incorporated with registered capital of more than MOP1,000,000 and the corresponding value of capital totalled MOP10 million (21.5% of total). In addition, 81.5% of the new incorporations were limited companies.

Capital of the new companies came mainly from Macao (MOP25 million), Hong Kong (MOP9 million) and Mainland China (MOP7 million). Capital from Guangdong Province (MOP4 million) took the lead among the Pan-Pearl River Delta provinces.

Analysed by shareholders’ place of residence, 308 new companies were established solely by Macao shareholders, 75 were joint ventures between shareholders from Macao and other countries/regions; meanwhile, there were 164 new companies incorporated by shareholders from countries/regions other than Macao.

In the first quarter of 2009, number of dissolution of companies totalled 149, up by 41.9% year-on-year, with the total value of registered capital amounting to MOP26 million. Among the companies in dissolution, 53 were operating in Wholesale and Retail, 26 in Business Services and 26 in Construction.