PRESS DIGEST - Hong Kong - Jun 22

HONG KONG, June 22 (Reuters) - These are some of the leading stories in Hong Kong newspapers on Monday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST

-- Hong Kong may return to economic growth this quarter after a year of contraction, with quarter-on-quarter GDP seen perking up this quarter if export figures for May and June did not fall further, top government economist Helen Chan predicted.

-- Insurer AIU Holdings, holding of the U.S. and international insurance business of AIG, is considering options to distinguish itself from its troubled parent including rebranding and a possible listing in Hong Kong, according to AIU vice-chairman Nicholas Walsh.

-- Chinese air conditioner maker Chigo Holdings and clean-energy provider Amber Energy were aiming to raise a total HK$400 million in initial public offerings in Hong Kong next month, sources said. BNP Paribas is the sponsor for Chigo and PiperJaffray is advising Amber Energy.

HONG KONG ECONOMIC JOURNAL

-- Cheung Kong (0001.HK) recorded satisfactory results from its sale of the remaining units in a residential development in Yuen Long after it slashed prices 17 percent. Sun Hung Kai Properties (0016.HK) may follow suit, according to market sources.

-- The number of property transactions is expected to increase 3.3 percent month on month to 13,500 in June, the highest in 16 months, property agent Centaline said in a report.

THE STANDARD

-- Sports wear maker Yue Yuen Industrial (0551.HK) posted a 4 percent rise in net profit to US$217.69 million for the six months ended March and a 9.7 percent increase in total sales to US$2.55 billion, but said total sales declined 1.6 percent year on year in April and May to a US$861.1 million.

HONG KONG ECONOMIC TIMES

-- PetroChina (0857.HK) said it would make a mandatory conditional cash offer as required for all outstanding shares of Singapore Petroleum SPCS.SI after it completed purchase of a 45.51 percent of the Singapore company for about HK$7.88 billion.

MING PAO

-- The number of property deals so far this year totalled 45,967 as of June 18, with a value of HK$149.7 billion, representing an increase of about 44 and 47 percent respectively from the first half period a year earlier, figures from the Land Registry shown.

APPLE DAILY

-- Hong Kong recorded 65 confirmed H1N1 infected cases on Sunday, the highest number of confirmed cases in a single day, bringing the number of infections to 323, according to the health authority. Four more secondary schools were suspended.

-- Restaurant chain operator Ajisen (China) (0538.HK) expects its stores in China to maintain growth in same store sales and may add more than 100 outlets to its network this year, according to chief executive Poon Wai.