Hong Kong's retail sales in June rose 4.6 percent from a year earlier to HK$31.5 billion.

The 14th straight month of gains was driven by strong online sales growth and robust purchases of jewellery, watches and clocks and valuable gifts.

For the first six months taken together, sales were estimated to be up 9.6 percent from a year ago.

Figures released by the Census and Statistics Department on Tuesday showed that online sales in June soared by nearly 12 percent to HK$3 billion year-on-year.

Online sales accounted for 9.4 percent of the month's total retail sales.

Sales of jewellery, watches and valuable gifts jumped by more than 20 percent, to nearly HK$5.5 billion.

Electrical and consumer durable goods soared 11.3 percent to HK$2.4 billion, while other unclassified consumer goods rose 9.3 percent to nearly HK$5 billion.

In commenting on the data, a government spokesman said the latest sales figures indicate that the sector remains on a positive trajectory, with growth observed across many retail categories.

“Continued economic expansion, rising local incomes, and a steady increase in inbound visitors are expected to provide support to the sector. Yet, external uncertainties constitute downside risk. The government will continue to closely monitor the potential impacts of external developments on the local consumption market,” the spokesman added.

The chairwoman of the Hong Kong Retail Management Association, Annie Yau Tse, said the exam period and frequent spells of inclement weather caused a lull in June.

Looking ahead, Yau Tse said she expects sales growth for the remainder of the year to narrow, with full-year sales recording single digit growth.

“Right now we see the increment is narrowing. Unless we see some very positive factors that can give us another push to make our retail sales have a very obvious positive factor that will further push the figures up. Unless we see that kind of effect, otherwise we just foresee that the percentage increment is going to narrow,” she said.

“Finally, for the whole year we foresee that we will just achieve a single-digit growth and it's not going to be a high single-digit, but it's going to be a like medium single-digit.”

Yau Tse also said she expects weaker sales in July because of bad weather and residents travelling outbound.

“We foresee that we will have a better performance in August. And of course, August is a month for travellers to come to Hong Kong... Although the spending power is going to stay low... but with more people come, we will be able to achieve a certain kind of growth in August,” she added.
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Last updated: 2026-08-04 HKT 18:32





Edited by Tony Sabine