Hong Kong’s economy grew 5.2% year on year in the third quarter, accelerating from 4.2% in the second quarter, according to the Census and Statistics Department’s advance estimate. On a seasonally adjusted basis, gross domestic product rose 1.9% from the previous quarter.
Goods exports rose 30.4% in real terms, following a 28.9% increase in the previous quarter. Goods imports were up 29.9%. Exports of services increased 4.3%, while imports of services rose 5.6%.
Investment, measured by gross domestic fixed capital formation, rose 7.3% in real terms, nearly twice the 3.7% increase in the second quarter. Private consumption grew 2.8%, just below the previous quarter’s 2.9%, while government consumption increased 1.7%.
Across the first nine months, GDP grew 5.1% year on year, the fastest growth for that period in five years.
A government spokesman said faster exports and solid domestic demand supported the third-quarter expansion. Global investment in artificial intelligence was expected to continue supporting goods exports, and tourism, cross-boundary transport and financial-market activity were expected to benefit service exports.
Samuel Tse, a senior economist in DBS Hong Kong’s economic research department, said demand for artificial-intelligence-related electronic products helped drive goods exports. He described private-consumption growth as relatively modest and linked it to unemployment not yet falling and slower property-price gains.
Financial Secretary Paul Chan said overall unemployment was around 3.9%, but unemployment was higher in construction, catering and retail, where employment faced pressure.
Chan said the full-year growth forecast would be revised upwards. Revised GDP figures and the updated 2026 forecast are scheduled for release on November 13.