"Lunch Is For Wimps"

Or at least that was Gordon Gekko's view in the film Wall Street.

In Hong Kong, however, there is no such sentiment; going out for lunch is a sacred ritual. Stockbrokers here are accustomed to a long and leisurely two hour lunch starting at the magic moment of 12:30.

All that changed yesterday. Under new rules designed to bring the Hong Kong bourse more in line with trading hours of the global economy, lunch will start at 12 noon and end at 1:30. Next March it will be reduced to one hour.

Not everyone is happy with the changes. As one broker was quoted: "Chinese people take meals very seriously. While the Westerners can have sandwiches every day, we want soup and several cooked dishes to share. Shorter lunches aren't good for the health of staff and customers."