Hong Kong’s trade deficit widened sharply to $89.1 billion in March 2026 from $45.4 billion in the same month a year earlier, marking the largest trade deficit since records began in January 1952. Imports climbed 41.2% year-on-year to an all-time high of $70.7 billion, largely reflecting higher purchases across most principal commodity divisions, particularly electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, and electrical parts thereof (49.5%) and telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment (93%). Imports rose most strongly from the UK (118.5%) and Korea (112.2%). Meanwhile, exports increased 35.8% to a record $61.8 billion, supported by solid growth in shipments of electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, and electrical parts thereof (47.9%) and telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment (94.7%). Shipments to Asia grew 37.8%, while other key destinations included the US (80.8%) and the Netherlands (37.1%). source: Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong

Hong Kong recorded a trade deficit of 89084 HKD Million in March of 2026. Balance of Trade in Hong Kong averaged -10357.64 HKD Million from 1952 until 2026, reaching an all time high of 7228.00 HKD Million in January of 2009 and a record low of -89084.00 HKD Million in March of 2026. This page provides the latest reported value for - Hong Kong Balance of Trade - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news. Hong Kong Balance of Trade - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on May of 2026.

Hong Kong recorded a trade deficit of 89084 HKD Million in March of 2026. Balance of Trade in Hong Kong is expected to be -45000.00 HKD Million by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the Hong Kong Balance of Trade is projected to trend around -31000.00 HKD Million in 2027, according to our econometric models.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2026-03-26 08:30 AM
Balance of Trade
Feb H$-64.2B H$-14.1B H$-16.0B
2026-04-28 08:30 AM
Balance of Trade
Mar H$-89.1B H$-64.2B H$ -43B
2026-05-28 08:30 AM
Balance of Trade
Apr H$-89.1B


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Balance of Trade -89084.00 -64151.00 HKD Million Mar 2026
Capital Flows 132357.00 134420.00 HKD Million Dec 2025
Current Account 93872.00 94896.00 HKD Million Dec 2025
Current Account to GDP 12.20 13.10 percent of GDP Dec 2025
Exports 618401.00 408795.00 HKD Million Mar 2026
Exports YoY 35.80 24.70 percent Mar 2026
External Debt 16054289.00 15746080.00 HKD Million Dec 2025
Foreign Direct Investment 20873.43 20783.30 HKD Billion Dec 2025
Imports 707484.00 472946.00 HKD Million Mar 2026
Imports YoY 41.20 29.90 percent Mar 2026
Terms of Trade 100.20 99.60 points Feb 2026
Tourist Arrivals 5141714.00 4811700.00 Feb 2026


Hong Kong Balance of Trade
Since the late 1990’s Hong Kong has been recording trade deficits, as imports grew at a faster pace than exports. Hong Kong major exports are electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances; telecommunications and sound equipment and automatic data processing machines. The country imports mainly machinery and transport equipment; miscellaneous manufactured articles; manufactured goods and food and live animals. Main trading partner is China (40 percent of total exports and 47 percent of total imports). Others include: Japan, Singapore, Taiwan and the United States.
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
-89084.00 -64151.00 7228.00 -89084.00 1952 - 2026 HKD Million Monthly

News Stream
Hong Kong Trade Deficit Largest Since 1952
Hong Kong’s trade deficit widened sharply to $89.1 billion in March 2026 from $45.4 billion in the same month a year earlier, marking the largest trade gap since records began in January 1952. Imports climbed 41.2% year-on-year to an all-time high of $70.7 billion, largely reflecting higher purchases across most principal commodity divisions, particularly electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, and electrical parts thereof (49.5%) and telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment (93%). Imports rose most strongly from the UK (118.5%) and Korea (112.2%). Meanwhile, exports increased 35.8% to a record $61.8 billion, supported by solid growth in shipments of electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, and electrical parts thereof (47.9%) and telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment (94.7%). Shipments to Asia grew 37.8%, while other key destinations included the US (80.8%) and the Netherlands (37.1%).
2026-04-28
Hong Kong Trade Deficit Widens in February
Hong Kong’s trade deficit widened sharply to $64.2 billion in February 2026 from $36.3 billion in the same month last year. Imports surged 29.9% year-on-year to $472.9 billion, primarily driven by higher purchases of electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, and elecrical parts thereof (30.5%), as well as non-ferrous metals (474.8%), and telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment (67.6%). Imports rose the most from the United Kingdom (230.6%), India (130.8%), and Korea (113.6%). Meanwhile, exports soared 24.7% year-on-year to $408.8 billion, largely driven by increased sales of electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, and elecrical parts thereof (41.5%), along with telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment (41.5%), and non-ferrous metals (289.4%). Exports recorded the largest gains to Malaysia (121.9%), Singapore (69.8%), Thailand (36.9%), Taiwan (33.4%), and Mainland China (21.9%).
2026-03-26
Hong Kong Trade Deficit Swings to Deficit
Hong Kong recorded a trade deficit of $14.1 billion in January 2026, swinging from a surplus of $2.1 billion in the same month a year earlier. Imports surged 38.1% year-on-year to $534.7 billion, primarily driven by higher purchases of electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, and electrical parts thereof (44.8%), as well as telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment (80%). Imports rose the most from Mainland China (46.6%), Taiwan (3.3%), and Singapore (42.8%). Meanwhile, exports soared 33.8% year-on-year to a new record high of $520.6 billion, largely driven by increased sales of electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, and electrical parts thereof (39.4%), along with telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment (51.9%). Exports recorded the largest gains to Mainland China (40.6%), the US (23.3%), Taiwan (88.8%), and Vietnam (31.0%).
2026-02-27