Hong Kong - A group of pro-democracy Hong Kong legislators on Tuesday announced plans to try to enter Macau, where academics and politicians have been refused entry after a crackdown on so-called anti-China elements.

The six members of the League of Social Democrats plan to take a ferry Sunday to the gambling resort west of Hong Kong to test the ban after a series of deportations.

Hong Kong- Hong Kong shares plummeted by nearly 5 per cent Monday, sliding steeply in late trading as shares in HSBC bank fell by a massive 24 per cent.

The blue-chip Hang Seng Index fell by 576.94 points, or 4.84 per cent, to end the day at 11,344.58. Turnover was 35.7 billion Hong Kong dollars (4.6 billion US dollars.)

Monday's trading was dominated by a sell-off of HSBC shares which fell 24 per cent to close at 33 Hong Kong dollars, their lowest level since 1995.

Hong Kong  - More than 3,000 Hong Kong-owned factories in southern China have been idled or closed as the global economic slump takes its toll, an industry leader said in an interview Monday.

Around 3,200 factories have remained closed since the Chinese New Year holiday because of a lack of business, according to Danny Lau, chairman of the Hong Kong Small and Medium Enterprises Association.

Hong Kong  - Hong Kong is close to agreeing on an extradition treaty with Thailand that could be used to send ousted prime minster Thaksin Shinawatra back home, a news report said Sunday.

Talks are at an advanced stage over the wide-ranging treaty which could affect regular visitor Thaksin, facing a two-year jail sentence for corruption in Thailand, according to the Sunday Morning Post.

Hong Kong  - A construction company boss in Hong Kong on Saturday began a two-month jail term for trying to bribe a policeman with boxes of traditional Chinese moon cakes.

Chin Tat-yung, 37, handed 15 boxes of the cakes - usually given to children as a treat for the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival - to a police officer inspecting road works his company was carrying out.

The police officer, who was responsible for approving the road works, gave them to his senior inspector who contacted Chin and returned the cakes, a court was told Friday.

Hong Kong - Hong Kong shares ended another poor week with a loss of almost 2.4 per cent Friday as bank shares fell heavily on fresh concerns over the financial sector's outlook.

The blue-chip Hang Seng Index dipped below the 12,000-point barrier, losing 289.72 points to end the day at 11,921.52. Turnover was 46.9 billion Hong Kong dollars (6 billion US dollars).