Hong Kong June retail sales rise 4.6%, seem support from visitors growth

Hong Kong June retail sales rise 4.6%, seem support from visitors growth HONG KONG, Aug 4 : Hong Kong's retail sales jumped 4.6 per cent in value in June from a year earlier to HK$31.5 billion ($4.02 billion), marking the 14th month of gains, government data showed on Tuesday. • In May, retail sales jumped 7.9 per cent on the year. • In volume terms, June retail sales increased 2.3 per cent from a year earlier, compared with a 4.8 per cent rise in May. • The sector remained on a positive trajectory in June and growth was broad-based across many retail categories. • For the first six months of 2026, the total retail sales value increased by 9.6 per cent from a year earlier, while retail sales volume rose 7.2 per cent. • "Continued economic expansion, rising local incomes, and a steady increase in inbound visitors are expected to provide support to the sector," a government spokesperson said, while noting that global conditions constituted a risk for local consumption, which the government would monitor. • Visitor arrivals in June rose 6.9 per cent year-on-year to 3.72 million, data from the Hong Kong Tourism Board showed. The number of mainland Chinese visitors surged 10.5 per cent to 2.88 million. • Sales of jewellery, watches, clocks and valuable gifts jumped 20.1 per cent year-on-year in June after a revised growth of 26 per cent in May. • Sales of motor vehicles and parts fell 4.3 per cent year-on-year in June following a revised 1.8 per cent growth in May. • Sales of clothing, footwear and allied products increased 0.5 per cent year-on-year in June after a revised 2.6 per cent gain in May. ($1 = 7.8422 Hong Kong dollars) [Image text:] CHENG HIANC