Provisional financial results for year ended March 31, 2025
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Expenditure and revenue for the year ended March 31, 2025 amounted to HK$753.2 billion and HK$564.9 billion respectively, resulting in a deficit of HK$80.3 billion after taking into account HK$130 billion received from issuance of Government Bonds and repayment of HK$22 billion principal on Government Bonds.
Expenditure and revenue for the year were 3 per cent (HK$23.7 billion) and 10.8 per cent (HK$68.1 billion) lower than the original estimate respectively.
The consolidated deficit for the year was HK$80.3 billion, i.e. HK$6.9 billion lower than the revised estimate of HK$87.2 billion. Revenue was HK$5.3 billion (1 per cent) higher than expected, mainly attributable to stamp duties ($5.9 billion higher) and salaries tax ($0.9 billion higher). Expenditure was HK$1.5 billion (0.2 per cent) lower than the revised estimate mainly due to lower-than-expected requirements.
The fiscal reserves stood at HK$654.3 billion as at March 31, 2025.
A Government spokesperson said that these are provisional figures pending the final closing of the annual accounts. According to experience, any changes to the provisional figures are unlikely to be significant.
Detailed figures are shown in Tables 1 and 2.
TABLE 1. CONSOLIDATED ACCOUNT (PROVISIONAL) (Note 1)
| |
Month ended March 31, 2025 HK$ million |
Year ended March 31, 2025 HK$ million |
| Revenue | 89,180.8 | 564,911.8 |
| Expenditure | (82,894.9) | (753,223.5) |
| Surplus/(Deficit) before issuance and repayment of Government Bonds |
6,285.9 | (188,311.7) |
| Proceeds received from issuance of Government Bonds |
5,766.6 | 130,036.1 |
| Repayment of Government Bonds* |
(39.3) | (21,993.0) |
| Surplus/(Deficit) after issuance and repayment of Government Bonds |
12,013.2 | (80,268.6) |
| Financing | ||
| Domestic | ||
| Banking Sector (Note 2) | (10,379.7) | 79,135.5 |
| Non-Banking Sector | (1,633.5) | 1,133.1 |
| External | - | - |
| Total | (12,013.2) | 80,268.6 |
| * Being repayment of principal on Government Bonds and does not include the associated interest and other expenses. | ||
Government Debts as at March 31, 2025 (Note 3)
HK$299,344 million
Debts Guaranteed by Government as at March 31, 2025 (Note 4)
HK$127,472 million
TABLE 2. FISCAL RESERVES (PROVISIONAL)
| |
Month ended March 31, 2025 HK$ million |
Year ended March 31, 2025 HK$ million |
| Fiscal Reserves at start of period | 642,303.6 | 734,585.4 |
| Consolidated Surplus/(Deficit) after issuance and repayment of Government Bonds |
12,013.2 | (80,268.6) |
| Fiscal Reserves at end of period (Note 5) |
654,316.8 | 654,316.8 |
Notes:
1. This Account consolidates the General Revenue Account and the following eight Funds: Capital Works Reserve Fund, Capital Investment Fund, Civil Service Pension Reserve Fund, Disaster Relief Fund, Innovation and Technology Fund, Land Fund, Loan Fund and Lotteries Fund. It excludes the Bond Fund, the balance of which is not part of the fiscal reserves. The Bond Fund balance as at March 31, 2025, was HK$225,261 million.
2. Includes transactions with the Exchange Fund and resident banks.
3. The Government Debts, with proceeds credited to the Capital Works Reserve Fund, comprise:
(i) the Green Bonds (equivalent to HK$194,375 million as at March 31, 2025) issued under the Government Sustainable Bond Programme. They were denominated in US dollars (US$9,950 million with maturity from January 2026 to January 2053), euros (4,580 million euros with maturity from February 2026 to November 2041), Renminbi (RMB34,000 million with maturity from June 2025 to July 2054) and Hong Kong dollars (HK$42,000 million with maturity from May 2025 to October 2026);
(ii) the Infrastructure Bonds (equivalent to HK$50,177 million as at March 31, 2025) issued under the Infrastructure Bond Programme. They were denominated in Renminbi (RMB13,500 million with maturity from December 2025 to November 2034) and Hong Kong dollars (HK$35,730 million with maturity from November 2025 to March 2045); and
(iii) the Silver Bonds with nominal value of HK$54,792 million (with maturity in October 2027 and may be redeemed before maturity upon request from bond holders) issued under the Infrastructure Bond Programme.
They do not include the outstanding bonds with nominal value of HK$176,340 million and alternative bonds with nominal value of US$1,000 million (equivalent to HK$7,778 million as at March 31, 2025) issued under the Government Bond Programme with proceeds credited to the Bond Fund. Of these bonds under the Government Bond Programme (including Silver Bonds with nominal value of HK$96,340 million, which may be redeemed before maturity upon request from bond holders), bonds with nominal value of HK$6,500 million were repaid upon maturity on April 14, 2025; bonds with nominal value of HK$68,590 million will mature within the period from May 2025 to March 2026 and the rest within the period from April 2026 to May 2042.
4. Includes guarantees provided under the SME Loan Guarantee Scheme launched in 2001, the Special Loan Guarantee Scheme launched in 2008, the SME Financing Guarantee Scheme launched in 2012, and the Loan Guarantee Scheme for Cross-boundary Passenger Transport Trade, the Loan Guarantee Scheme for Battery Electric Taxis and the Loan Guarantee Scheme for Travel Sector launched in 2023.
5. Includes HK$280,768 million, being the balance of the Land Fund held in the name of "Future Fund", for long-term investments up to December 31, 2030. The Future Fund also includes HK$4,800 million, being one-third of the actual surplus in 2015-16 as top-up.
Ends/Wednesday, April 30, 2025
Issued at HKT 16:30
Issued at HKT 16:30
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