Related News
Protesting cut to lunch break
Source: Agencies |
February 29, 2012, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
HONG Kong stockbrokers protested yesterday in a last-ditch bid to stop the city's stock market operator from cutting their lunch break next month.
The brokers marched through the central business district to the stock exchange and on to government headquarters in a plea to keep their midday break at 90 minutes.
Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Ltd, which operates the stock market, plans to reduce the break to one hour next Monday. It's the second stage of a plan that began last year by trimming an hour from the 2 1/2 hour trading break.
The exchange is bringing trading hours in line with rival bourses in Asia and the West. But protesters, most of whom were from Hong Kong's many small brokerages, said they won't have enough time to talk with clients, research stocks or attend presentations on initial public offerings.
The brokers tried to dispel the popular notion that they have long leisurely lunches spent smoking cigars and drinking fine wines.
"I actually bring along my lunch box," said Danny Lam, an account executive at Kingston Securities. "Our lunch hour can be very stressful as well. We still have to rush."
Last year, Tokyo's stock exchange shortened its lunch break while Singapore eliminated its altogether. Major stock markets in the US, Britain, France and Germany don't stop for lunch.
The Hong Kong exchange has tried to introduce longer trading hours before.
The brokers marched through the central business district to the stock exchange and on to government headquarters in a plea to keep their midday break at 90 minutes.
Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Ltd, which operates the stock market, plans to reduce the break to one hour next Monday. It's the second stage of a plan that began last year by trimming an hour from the 2 1/2 hour trading break.
The exchange is bringing trading hours in line with rival bourses in Asia and the West. But protesters, most of whom were from Hong Kong's many small brokerages, said they won't have enough time to talk with clients, research stocks or attend presentations on initial public offerings.
The brokers tried to dispel the popular notion that they have long leisurely lunches spent smoking cigars and drinking fine wines.
"I actually bring along my lunch box," said Danny Lam, an account executive at Kingston Securities. "Our lunch hour can be very stressful as well. We still have to rush."
Last year, Tokyo's stock exchange shortened its lunch break while Singapore eliminated its altogether. Major stock markets in the US, Britain, France and Germany don't stop for lunch.
The Hong Kong exchange has tried to introduce longer trading hours before.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
