Hong Kong Trade Deficit Widens Sharply

Hong Kong's trade deficit widened sharply to HKD 44.2 billion in May 2026 from HKD 27.3 billion in the same month a year earlier. Imports surged 42.0% year-on-year to HKD 655.4 billion, driven by higher purchases of electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances and related parts (51.6%), telecommunications and sound recording equipment (61.2%), and office machines and automatic data-processing equipment (44.5%). Imports grew the most from Mainland China (51.2%), followed by Taiwan (20.3%), Singapore (24.7%), and Vietnam (76.5%). Meanwhile, exports rose 40.8% from a year earlier to a three-month low of HKD 611.2 billion, supported by robust demand for electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances and related parts (56.1%), office machines and automatic data-processing equipment (50.2%), and telecommunications and sound recording equipment (37.6%). Exports to Asia expanded 44.6%, while sales to other major markets, such as the UK (61.7%) and the US (55.7%), also strengthened.

Hong Kong’s trade deficit widened to $29.5 billion in April 2026 from $16 billion in the same month a year earlier, though it remained the smallest gap since January. Exports surged 42.9% year-on-year to a record $620.9 billion, driven by strong shipments of electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, and electrical parts thereof (49.5%), as well as telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment (54.6%). Exports to Asia jumped 43.7%, while shipments to other major destinations also rose sharply, including the US (37.5%) and the UK (88.8%). Meanwhile, imports climbed 44.4% to $650.4 billion, supported by higher purchases of electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, and electrical parts thereof (46.8%), telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment (62.1%), and miscellaneous manufactured articles (95.4%). Imports increased most from Mainland China (46.8%), the UK (80.5%), and South Korea (117.4%).

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%).