{
  "id": 19796160,
  "title": "Govt raises full-year GDP growth forecast to 4.8pc",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/13/govt-raises-full-year-gdp-growth-forecast-to-4-8pc-19796160",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-11-13T10:23:24.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "RTHK News - Finance",
    "slug": "rthk-news-finance",
    "url": "https://news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/component/k2/1877720-20261113.htm"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Hong Kong government has increased its full-year GDP growth forecast for 2026 to 4.8 percent, up from the previous range of 3.5 to 4.5 percent. This optimistic outlook is based on the strong economic expansion witnessed in the third quarter, with the city's economy growing by 5.2 percent year-on-year. This growth rate surpasses the 4.2 percent increase seen in the previous quarter, marking the fastest pace in five years. Over the first nine months of the year, economic growth reached 5.1 percent over a year earlier, indicating a rapid recovery. Government Economist Irina Fan attributes this strong performance to robust global AI investment and related trade. Fan emphasized that key drivers of the economy – exports, investment, and consumption – have continued to grow. The labor market remained stable during the third quarter, with employment earnings outpacing growth year-on-year. Inflation, however, has remained lower than anticipated, with the government revising its forecast for the underlying consumer price inflation rate for 2026 down to 1.9 percent from the previous estimate of 2.5 percent. Fan noted that while higher oil prices might continue to exert pressure on prices in the coming months, overall inflation is expected to stay moderate. Despite these positive indicators, Fan stressed that uncertainties in the external environment, including geopolitical tensions, US monetary policy, and trade protectionist measures, necessitate closer monitoring.",
  "summary": "The government on Friday raised Hong Kong’s economic growth forecast for 2026 to 4.8 percent from the previous forecast of 3.5 to 4.5 percent. The rise in the full-year GDP forecast came as the SAR saw strong economic expansion in the third quarter while expecting solid growth in the final three months of the year. Speaking at a press conference, Government Economist Irina Fan said the economy…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}