Global Financial Market Review

The latest public opinion survey conducted by veteran pollster Robert Chung has found that Chief Executive Carrie Lam's popularity is worst among all Hong Kong leaders in recent memory.

The study also showed strong support for the setting up of an independent commission of inquiry into the extradition bill saga.

The Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute, led by Chung, questioned 1,000 people over the phone between August 1 and August 6.

On a scale of 0 to 100, the Chief Executive received a support rating of 27.9. That's down from a score of 30.1 in the previous poll last month, and the lowest ever for all Chief Executives and Hong Kong's last governor, Chris Patten.

Lam's net approval rate also fell to a new low.

When asked if they would vote for her as Hong Kong's leader if the Chief Executive election were to be held tomorrow, 20.4 percent said they would, 71.6 percent said they would not, generating a net approval rate of minus 51.2 percent.

Of all her principal officials, Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng had the lowest net approval rate, at minus 53 percent.

Meanwhile, more than three-quarters of the respondents said they supported an independent inquiry to look into alleged police brutality, as views towards the force turned negative.

The level of satisfaction towards the police fell from 61 before the start of the anti-extradition protests in June to 39.4, the lowest score since records began in 2012.