16  Figure 8 Bank credit survey (*) (average for four moving quarters)  Demand  Supply  100  100  100  100  50  50  50  50  0  0  0  0  -50  -50  -50  -50  -100  -100  -100  -100  12  13  14  15  12  16  Enterprises  13  14  15  16  Real estate and building firms  Persons  (*) Difference between percentage of respondents that said lending standards had become less stringent to some extent and percentage of respondents that said that lending standards had become more so to some extent. Source: Central Bank of Chile. Gráfico 9 Citigroup surprise index  Manufacturing prospects (*)  (mean of 25 moving weeks, pivot=0)  (diffusion index, pivot=50)  70  70  60  60  35  35  55  55  0  0  50  50  -35  -35  45  45  -70  40  -70 12  13  14  15  16 U.S.  17 Eurozone  40 12  13  14  15  16  17  Japan  (*) Measured using the purchasing managers' index (PMI). Source: Bloomberg.
Bank customers cannot and should not blindly blame banks every time an investment loss is incurred or when they get into financial troubles due to excessive borrowing. Banking customers ought to be responsible and smart. Only then could there be a sustained win-win situation for all concerned. In this regard, the HKMA will shortly launch a consumer education programme to help the public learn more about how to become a “smart and responsible” financial consumer. 7. This is why the HKMA has been working with the industry in the past months in developing the Charter. I am pleased to see that the Charter has received the full support of 22 retail banks in Hong Kong. These banks are here today to sign and launch this Charter, pledging to provide bank customers with better and stronger protection. It also marks a new era for Hong Kong as Asia’s premier international financial centre in the enhancement of consumer protection in the financial realm. 8. 2  Thank you. BIS central bankers’ speeches