Hong Kong exports rise by nearly 41% in May as AI keeps fuelling demand
Figure marks second month in row that export growth exceeded 40 per cent, edging close to best performing month in decades
The recent bumper growth in Hong Kong exports spilled into May as they expanded by 40.8 per cent year on year, with artificial intelligence-related products continuing to fuel already robust overseas demand.
Provisional figures released by the Census and Statistics Department on Thursday showed that the total value of exports rose to HK$611.2 billion (US$77.95 billion) last month, following a nearly 43 per cent increase in April.
The May figure marked the second month in a row that export growth exceeded 40 per cent, edging close to the best performing month in decades – the 44 per cent expansion recorded in January 2021.
Imports, meanwhile, grew by 42 per cent to HK$655.4 billion in May, resulting in a trade deficit of HK$44.2 billion for the month, equivalent to 6.7 per cent of the value of imports.
For the first five months of 2026, total exports rose by 36.2 per cent compared with the same period last year, while imports grew by 39.6 per cent.
A government spokesman said that the robust expansion in exports in May was underpinned by strong global demand for AI-related electronic products with exports to most major markets registering notable growth.