HONG KONG, June 29 (Xinhua) -- The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) on Monday raised its overall Hong Kong export forecast for 2026 to year-on-year growth of above 20 percent, following a stronger-than-expected performance since the start of the year as well as sustained momentum in the global demand for technology products.
Meanwhile, the HKTDC Export Confidence Index (2Q26), released today, showed an improvement in its key indicators, the Current Performance Index and the Expectation Index, both rebounding above the 50 threshold. The results indicated that, despite ongoing adjustments in U.S. trade policies and geopolitical developments, exporter confidence has improved.
Bruce Pang, HKTDC's director of research, said that the recent upturn has been supported by resilient regional trade amid the AI-driven technology cycle, which has been maintained despite lingering uncertainties in the Middle East. Overall, the outlook for many of Hong Kong's major markets has improved, with the Chinese mainland and ASEAN remaining the most promising.
In the first five months of 2026, Hong Kong's exports recorded a 36.2 percent year-on-year increase, an uptick underpinned by strong demand for electronics amid an accelerating global AI cycle. Electronics remained the key growth driver, accounting for more than 70 percent of Hong Kong's total exports, with semiconductors and intermediate items putting in a particularly strong performance.
The HKTDC said it is clear that Hong Kong is continuing to play a critical role as a regional trading hub, facilitating the flow of electronic parts and semi-manufactured goods across Asian supply chains and into global markets. This intermediary role has been a key factor in the city's strong export performance and is expected to remain a key source of resilience even as component prices normalize over the medium term. ■
