The "Hong Kong Business Mastermind Award" presentation ceremony organized by East Week was successfully held on 26 October, 2004. The ceremony was highlighted by the special appearance of the Honourable Henry Tang, Financial Secretary of HKSAR together with over 400 valued guests from various business sectors. At the ceremony, ten outstanding winners were presented with this year's Award by the Panel of Judges comprising leading figures from the political, commercial and academic sectors.

East Week has joined forces with three of Hong Kong's largest fuel suppliers - Shell, Caltex and ExxonMobil - to offer special discount on East Week at their gas stations. Together with a pioneering special offer at the Hong Kong International Airport, East Week ensures that readers are offered the best value whether on land or in the sky.

"TOUCH-U", the biggest tertiary institution student union instigated by East Touch, will co-organize the "TOUCH-U Party X'mas 04" with JET at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre on 23 December, 2004. Pop singers such as Leo Koo, Edmond Leung, Alex Fong, Ping Pung, at 17 will join members of the union to celebrate Christmas.

In addition, to pay tribute to the outstanding I.T. products and service providers in the past year, PC Market specially organizes the most authoritative and professional award in the I.T. industry - the "Best of I.T. Award 2004" - during December 2004 to January 2005. The election and judging process will be conducted with the highest level of professionalism with winners to be voted by a Panel of Judges and readers. Voting for the "Best of I.T. Award 2004" has already started in mid December and the results will be announced at the award presentation to be held in late January 2005.

Hong Kong's economy staged a strong recovery this year with the effects of the Individual Visit Scheme and CEPA benefiting the tourism, retail, service and finance industries in particular. In view of this market trend, JobMarket organized the "Recruitment Day & Seminar 2004 ─ Tourism, Retail, Services & Finance Industries" in which 23 recruitment and educational organizations participated, offering over 1,000 job vacancies and providing an extensive range of education information.

JobMarket was awarded a Certificate of Appreciation by the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups for its continuing devotion to youth employment. At the "Youth Career Expo" organized by the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups on 19 November, Mr. Stephen Ip Shu Kwan, the Secretary for Economic Development and Labour Bureau, presented the Certificate of Appreciation to JobMarket. Honourable guests of the day included Dr. Rosanna Wong Yick Ming, the Executive Director of the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups and Mr. Yip Kim Po, Chairman of the Ocean Grand Chemicals Holdings Ltd.

Sing Tao Daily's New York Bureau co-organized the "2004 Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival in New York Photography Contest" with the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival Committee in New York. The award presentation ceremony was held on 13 November at the Hong Kong Economic & Trade New York Office. Mr. Rick Ho, the Deputy General Manager of the New York Bureau remarked, "The quality of entries is exceptionally high and the response is overwhelming."

Sing Tao Daily has relocated its US West headquarters to Brisbane in San Francisco on 28 September in line with its business expansion. A number of honourable guests were invited to the grand opening ceremony. The old office in South San Francisco will be home to the paper's printing and circulation departments.

Global China Group announced its interim results on 27 September, 2004. Overall, consolidated turnover rose 20.1% in the first half of 2004 to HK$678.2 million on the back of higher circulation and advertising revenues. The Group's core media operations recorded a 24.7% increase in turnover to HK$536.4 million. The Human Capital Management business also achieved a significant growth in turnover of 50.3% to HK$24.4 million. Higher newsprint cost and usage and investments in its media operations resulted a loss in operating activities of HK$7.0 million.

Looking forward, management stated that the Group would adopt a prudent approach, combining a strategy of investing selectively in new products and markets for long term growth, and exercising discipline in cost control and productivity gains to ensure improved profit performance.