Hong Kong economy’s surprise jump takes growth to five-year high

Hong Kong's economy experienced a surprising growth spurt in the third quarter, with expansion in the first nine months reaching the highest level in five years. The government's advance estimates, released on November 3, revealed that gross domestic product (GDP) increased by 5.2% year-on-year, up from a downwardly revised 4.2% in the previous quarter. Over the first nine months of 2026, GDP expanded 5.1% from the same period in 2025, with a quarter-on-quarter growth of 1.9%.

Government officials expressed optimism about Hong Kong's economic outlook, citing sustained global investment in artificial intelligence, a robust tourism sector, and a rebounding property market as key factors driving the growth momentum. In August, the government upgraded its GDP growth forecast for 2026 to a range of 3.5% to 4.5% from the previous range of 2.5% to 3.5%.

Financial Secretary Paul Chan also stated that economic growth remained robust in the third quarter, with investment surging and possibly leading to an upward revision of the official full-year projection.

China's strong support for Hong Kong was evident as Vice-Premier He Lifeng emphasized that developing the city remains a key strategy for China. The national government pledged to maintain a free and open economic environment in Hong Kong, according to a video speech by He Lifeng at the Global Financial Leaders' Investment Summit in the city.