Hong Kong retail sales rise 6.4 per cent in September
Hong Kong’s provisional September retail sales value rose 6.4 per cent from a year earlier to 33.4 billion Hong Kong dollars. Price-adjusted sales volume increased 3.9 per cent. Online sales grew faster than the total, while quarterly seasonally adjusted figures showed a slight decline. Jewellery sales increased, but supermarkets, department stores and motor vehicles recorded falls.
Economics & Markets··Evening
September growth outpaces August
Hong Kong’s September retail sales value increased 6.4 per cent from a year earlier, while price-adjusted volume rose 3.9 per cent.[1], [2]
The Census and Statistics Department put provisional sales value at 33.4 billion Hong Kong dollars. August’s revised annual increases were 5.6 per cent in value and 2.9 per cent in volume. Online sales reached 4.4 billion Hong Kong dollars in September, growing 12.0 per cent annually and representing 13.1 per cent of total retail sales.[1]
Jewellery gains contrast with falling vehicle sales
The annual changes varied sharply across retail categories. Jewellery, watches and valuable gifts gained 20.3 per cent in sales value, while clothing increased 11.1 per cent. Supermarket sales declined 1.0 per cent and department stores fell 4.1 per cent. Motor vehicles and parts recorded a 34.7 per cent drop. Each of these category comparisons measures the value of sales rather than price-adjusted volume.[1]
Quarterly figures show a slight retreat
Seasonally adjusted sales value slipped 0.1 per cent in the third quarter from the preceding quarter, and volume declined 0.2 per cent. Over the first nine months, value increased 8.3 per cent and volume rose 5.9 per cent from a year earlier. The government cited visitor arrivals and the timing of the Mid-Autumn Festival as support for September sales. The monthly estimates remain provisional and subject to revision.[1]
