PRESS DIGEST-Hong Kong - Feb 4

Feb 4 (Reuters) - These are some of the leading stories in Hong Kong newspapers on Tuesday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST

-- Nine out of 10 applicants for an Australian immigration scheme aimed at wealthy investors are from the mainland and they have pumped a total of A$325 million ($286.34 million) into their new country of residence in the first year since the launch of the plan. ( Href="Link">http://link.reuters.com/juv56v)

-- Investment in private hospitals on the mainland is rising and backers say there is room for further growth, thanks to the Communist Party's recent endorsement for private capital to play a greater role in the economy. ( Href="Link">http://link.reuters.com/kuv56v)

-- Two U.S. fund houses, Principal Global Investors and Franklin Templeton, have unveiled plans to add to their Hong Kong-domiciled offerings in order to tap into mainland China opportunities under a soon-to-be signed mutual recognition scheme. ( Href="Link">http://link.reuters.com/puv56v)

THE STANDARD

-- Hong Kong property sector experienced one of its worst Lunar New Year breaks with only one transaction recorded at the 10 major housing estates during the four-day festive holidays - the lowest since Centaline Property Agency started tracking the numbers in 2003. ( Href="Link">http://link.reuters.com/quv56v)

-- Chinachem Group plans to launch five home projects this year, bringing flat sales to a record high of up to about HK$6 billion ($773 million), according to sales manager Ng Shung-mo. ( Href="Link">http://link.reuters.com/vuv56v)

-- The number of messages sent via the Weixin mobile app of Tencent 0700.HK on the eve of the Lunar New Year doubled from last year, the tech giant said. Some 10 million messages were sent per minute during the peak period from 10 pm to midnight through the mobile messenger. ( Href="Link">http://link.reuters.com/byv56v)

HONG KONG ECONOMIC JOURNAL

-- Some 30 prestige clubs in China's Xihu, or West Lake, ceased operation as authority pushed forward President Xi Jinping's campaign against lavish spending.

HONG KONG ECONOMIC TIMES

-- There is a clear sign that the Hong Kong property price was already at its peak with supply in secondary market of the city's 10 major residential developments increasing 4.4 percent month-on-month in January to 3,862 units.

For Chinese newspapers, see............... PRESS/CN ($1 = 1.1350 Australian dollars) ($1 = 7.7643 Hong Kong dollars)

(Reporting by Donny Kwok in Hong Kong; Editing by Anand Basu)

((donny.kwok@thomsonreuters.com)(+852 2843 6470)(Reuters Messaging: donny.kwok.reuters.com@reuters.net))

Keywords: PRESS DIGEST HONGKONG/