Some Hong Kong bank branches re-open

[SINGAPORE] Even as Hong Kong's pro-democracy protesters remain defiant, some bank branches that closed on Monday reopened on Tuesday, ahead of two public holidays on Wednesday and Thursday.

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), in an update on Tuesday afternoon, said that it would monitor developments in the foreign exchange market to maintain the normal operation of the Currency Board system and the stability of the Hong Kong dollar exchange rate.

"We will also maintain close contact with banks and make arrangements as appropriate to ensure that the banking system will function normally after the public holiday," it said.