- Q1 GDP expands 5.9% y/y versus 4.0% in Q4
- Government says economic outlook broadly resilient
- Maintains full-year 2026 GDP growth forecast at 2.5%-3.5%
HONG KONG, May 15 (Reuters) - Hong Kong's economy expanded by 5.9% in the first quarter from the same period a year earlier, the government said on Friday, supported by a surge in exports and private consumption expenditure.
The economy grew 4.0% in the fourth quarter of 2025 and 3.1% in the first quarter of last year.
The government maintained its 2026 GDP forecast at a range of 2.5% to 3.5%.
On a seasonally adjusted quarterly basis, the economy grew 2.9% in January-March, the figures showed, compared with 1.0% growth in October-December.
The first-quarter growth figures matched preliminary data released earlier this month.
"Looking ahead, Hong Kong's economic outlook remains broadly resilient," a government spokesman said.
"Strong global demand for advanced electronics and AI‑related products is expected to support goods export performance, while services exports should remain firm, underpinned by sustained vibrancy in inbound tourism, robust cross-boundary financial activity, and steady demand for business services."
The government revised up forecasts for headline and underlying consumer price inflation for 2026 to 2.6% and 2.5%, respectively, from 1.8% and 1.7%.
Reporting by Hong Kong newsroom; Editing by Anne Marie Roantree and John Mair
Source: Reuters