Hong Kong Retail Sales at 11-Month Low

Retail sales in Hong Kong rose 2.3% year-on-year in July 2026, unchanged from the previous month and remaining the weakest annual growth since July 2025. Growth slowed for food, alcoholic drinks and tobacco (1.2% vs 1.9% in June) and consumer durable goods (2.4% vs 6.3%), while sales of clothing, footwear and allied products (-2.1% vs 0.2%) tumbled. Meanwhile, growth accelerated for jewelry, watches and clocks, and valuable gifts (9.4% vs 7.4%) and other consumer goods (5.5% vs 4.3%). Declines also eased for supermarkets (-0.1% vs -0.8%) and fuels (-27.9% vs -28.3%), while department store sales rebounded (0.6% vs -4.4%). On a monthly basis, retail sales fell 0.9%, narrowing from a 6.8% decline in June.

Retail sales in Hong Kong rose 2.3% year-on-year in June 2026, slowing from 4.8% in the previous month and marking the weakest growth since July 2025. The slowdown reflected softer gains across major categories, including clothing, footwear and allied products (0.2% vs 2.3% in May), consumer durable goods (6.2% vs 9.6%), jewellery, watches and clocks, and valuable gifts (7.4% vs 10.7%), as well as other consumer goods (4.3% vs 7.9%). Moreover, department store sales declined (-4.4% vs 8.7%). In contrast, sales of food, alcoholic drinks and tobacco rebounded (2% vs -1.5%), while declines eased for supermarkets (-0.6% vs -1.1%) and fuels (-28.4% vs -28.7%). On a monthly basis, retail activity fell 6.8%, reversing a seven-month high of 7.3% in May 2026.

Retail sales in Hong Kong rose 4.8% year-on-year in May 2026, slowing from a revised 6.5% in the previous month and marking the lowest reading since January. Sales declined further for food, beverages, and tobacco (-1.6% vs. 1% in April) and fuels (-28.8% vs. -27.9%), while growth reversed for supermarkets (-1.1% vs. 2.3%). At the same time, retail activity moderated for clothing, footwear, and allied products (3% vs. 5.5%), and consumer durable goods (9.5% vs. 28.2%). In contrast, sales rebounded for department stores (8.7% vs. -6.6%), while sales continued to rise for jewellery, watches, clocks, and valuable gifts (10.5% vs. 7.1%), and other consumer goods (7.9% vs. 7.4%). On a monthly basis, retail sales rose 7.3% in May, rebounding from a revised 7.4% decline in April.