Guo Jiayao, an independent stock commentator, stated that the US stock market holiday on Thursday (4th) resulted in steady gold prices and a dip in oil prices. The overnight HSI futures did not fluctuate much, and it is expected that the market will lack direction in the early stages. The mainland stock market fell yesterday, with the Shanghai Composite Index opening high and closing low, down 0.8%. The turnover of the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock markets continued to be light. Hong Kong stocks maintained their weak and volatile pattern, with the index hovering around 18,000 points and trading volumes reaching a three-month low, indicating cautious investor sentiment. It is expected that the index will not have a significant direction and will continue to hover between 17,800 and 18,500 points.

According to the announcement by the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau of Macau, the gaming revenue recorded a year-on-year growth in June for 18 consecutive months, with a revenue of 17.694 billion Macau Patacas, up 16.4% year-on-year, lower than the market's expected growth rate of 17.5%. However, the revenue fell 12.4% from the previous month, reaching the lowest monthly gaming revenue so far this year. In the first six months of this year, Macau's gaming revenue reached 113.753 billion Macau Patacas, up 41.9% year-on-year. In the 2024 Fiscal Budget, the Macau government expects the gross gaming revenue for the whole year to reach 216 billion Macau Patacas, meaning it has already completed 52% of the government's full-year target in the first half of the year.

The Mainland recently issued an announcement regarding the increase in the duty-free baggage allowance for inbound visitors from Hong Kong and Macau. Inbound residents who are over 18 years old and hold a valid travel document can carry personal items obtained outside the Mainland that have a total value of less than 12,000 yuan (the same below), which will be exempt from tax. If the value of personal items for reasonable use is 15,000 yuan or less, including a consumption of 3,000 yuan at an inbound duty-free shop, they will be exempt from tax. This measure may help increase the desire for travel to Hong Kong and Macau, but due to the impact of the macroeconomic downturn on the consumption power of Mainland tourists, it is expected that the growth of gaming revenue may not continue to be high, which may affect the industry atmosphere.

(I and related parties do not hold the above shares). ~