RESULTS

I am pleased to be able to report that our results for 2009 continued to maintain a steady growth. The Group's audited consolidated net profit attributable to shareholders for 2009 amounted to HK$2,044 million (2008: HK$1,877 million), an increase of 8.9% over 2008. Basic earnings per share was 33.03 HK cents (2008: 30.54 HK cents), an increase of 8.2% over 2008.

DIVIDEND

The Board recommends a final dividend of 6.0 HK cents per share for 2009. Aggregating such dividend with the interim dividend of 5.0 HK cents per share paid in 2009, the total dividend for the entire year will be 11.0 HK cents (2008: 10.0 HK cents) per share. The said 2009 final dividend, if approved by the shareholders of the Company at the forthcoming annual general meeting, will be paid on 29 June 2010.

REVIEW

Undeterred by the extremely tough macroeconomic environment during 2009, the Group's management worked in unison with all staff and led them in challenging the difficulties ahead by adhering to our policy of steady development, implementing our corporate culture of "credibility, integrity and profitability", and thereby achieving better operating results in securing the sustainable and steady development of the enterprise.

Through the effort of management, the Group's net profit attributable to shareholders increased by 8.9% to HK$2,044 million, and profit before tax increased by 21.4% or HK$522 million to HK$2,959 million. The growth was mainly attributed to the contributions from our property investment and development businesses.

PROSPECTS

We cannot be too optimistic over the operating environment in 2010 as the Group still has to meet tough challenges ahead. This would require the Group to focus all staff efforts to weather difficult times through correct judgement of the directions of macroeconomic trends, enhancing our ability to master the markets, raising management standards even further so as to secure its healthy and sustainable development.

For our investment projects, we will insist on interweaving our premier segments with prudent risk control and leveraging on our substantial available funds and low debt level to seek for investment opportunities prevailing in the present economic environment that will give us a leading position. In accordance with the Group's investment and development strategies, we will be focusing on the utility, commercial property and infrastructure industries while actively looking for water resources, commercial property, expressways and power generation related projects as long-term development targets so as to create higher values for shareholders.

Finally, on behalf of the Board, I would like to thank all shareholders for their support and also all our management and staff for their dedication and hard work and the good results they have helped the Group to achieve.