I did not play a role in arranging this transaction and no Federal Reserve assistance was promised or provided in connection with that agreement. As with similar transactions, the transaction was reviewed and approved by the Federal Reserve under the Bank Holding Company Act in November 2008.
In 2006, Macao registered another year of two-digit economic growth, at 16.6%. Its GDP per capita reached USD28.4 thousand, representing one of the highest among Asian economies. Tourism-dominated service exports, investment and private consumption all witnessed strong growth. As the leading industry, tourism showed splendid performance, with visitor arrivals reaching an all-time high of 22 million last year.