HONG KONG--Some of Hong Kong's biggest banks were forced to shut
branches, suspend some services and activate contingency plans on
Monday, as pro-democracy protests continued to grip several parts
of the city.
Protesters have gathered throughout downtown Hong Kong and other
locations, including in the Causeway Bay shopping district and
across the Victoria Harbour in parts of Kowloon.
By early Monday, 17 banks had closed 29 branches or offices
across the city.
Standard Chartered Bank PLC, HSBC Holdings PLC, Bank of East
Asia Ltd., Bank of China Hong Kong and China CITIC Bank
International Ltd. were among those who said their operations were
affected by the protests.
The banks said they were temporarily closing branches in some
locations, including in central Hong Kong and Causeway Bay.
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority, the city's de facto central
bank, said it has activated its own contingency plan and is ready
to inject liquidity into the banking system. The HKMA said it
expects the city's money markets to operate as normal.
Write to Enda Curran at enda.curran@wsj.com
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