Hong Kong's economy expanded 5.9% in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the same period last year, according to government data released Friday. The strong performance was fueled by a surge in exports and private consumption.
This marks an acceleration from 4.0% growth in the fourth quarter of 2025 and 3.1% in the first quarter of last year. On a seasonally adjusted quarterly basis, GDP rose 2.9% in January-March, up from 1.0% in the previous quarter.
The government maintained its 2026 GDP forecast at 2.5% to 3.5%. A government spokesman attributed the resilience to robust global demand for advanced electronics and AI-related products, along with sustained inbound tourism and cross-boundary financial activity.
Inflation is expected to rise, with the government revising its 2026 headline consumer price inflation forecast to 2.6%, up from an earlier estimate of 1.8%. Core inflation was revised to 2.5% from 1.7%.