Despite the blemish from Sars, the figures paint a rosy picture.

(From South China Morning Post)

Byline: the economy Kelvin Chan

The good news about the economy in Financial Secretary Henry Tang Ying-yen's inaugural budget speech yesterday was simple: there is no bad news.

Even after a year in which Hong Kong was devastated by the Sars outbreak, the economy grew 3.3 per cent, faster than the 2.3 per cent recorded in the year before, according to figures released by Mr Tang yesterday.

This year's gross domestic product, which measures the output of all goods and services, will expand 6 per cent, he predicted.

The economic recovery, which began after the end of the Sars crisis last summer, will …