External merchandise trade statistics for August 2026
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In August 2026, the value of total exports of goods increased by 53.0% over a year earlier to $667.9 billion, after a year-on-year increase by 50.7% in July 2026. Concurrently, the value of imports of goods increased by 60.0% over a year earlier to $739.1 billion in August 2026, after a year-on-year increase by 41.0% in July 2026. A visible trade deficit of $71.2 billion, equivalent to 9.6% of the value of imports of goods, was recorded in August 2026.
For the first eight months of 2026 as a whole, the value of total exports of goods increased by 42.5% over the same period in 2025. Concurrently, the value of imports of goods increased by 43.2%. A visible trade deficit of $371.2 billion, equivalent to 7.2% of the value of imports of goods, was recorded in the first eight months of 2026.
Comparing the three-month period ending August 2026 with the preceding three months on a seasonally adjusted basis, the value of total exports of goods increased by 9.1%. Meanwhile, the value of imports of goods increased by 5.1%.
Analysis by country/territory
Comparing August 2026 with August 2025, total exports to Asia as a whole grew by 59.2%. In this region, increases were registered in the values of total exports to most major destinations, in particular Malaysia (+101.7%), Vietnam (+83.3%), Singapore (+80.8%), Taiwan (+71.7%), Thailand (+61.7%) and Chinese Mainland (the Mainland) (+61.2%).
Apart from destinations in Asia, increases were registered in the values of total exports to some major destinations in other regions, in particular Mexico (+68.8%) and the USA (+64.2%).
Over the same period of comparison, increases were registered in the values of imports from most major suppliers, in particular Korea (+265.8%), the United Kingdom (+111.6%), India (+107.7%), Malaysia (+78.7%), Vietnam (+67.2%) and the Mainland (+54.1%).
Comparing the first eight months of 2026 with the same period in 2025, increases were registered in the values of total exports to most major destinations, in particular Singapore (+82.4%), Taiwan (+73.2%), the USA (+63.4%), Thailand (+56.6%), Vietnam (+55.1%) and the Mainland (+46.7%).
Over the same period of comparison, increases were registered in the values of imports from most major suppliers, in particular Korea (+140.7%), India (+105.9%), the United Kingdom (+91.0%), Vietnam (+71.4%), Malaysia (+49.6%) and the Mainland (+44.7%).
Analysis by major commodity
Comparing August 2026 with August 2025, increases were registered in the values of total exports of some principal commodity divisions, in particular "electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, and electrical parts thereof" (by $135.7 billion or +62.6%) and "office machines and automatic data processing machines" (by $60.2 billion or +131.0%).
Over the same period of comparison, increases were registered in the values of imports of most principal commodity divisions, in particular "electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, and electrical parts thereof" (by $139.0 billion or +64.5%), "office machines and automatic data processing machines" (by $61.4 billion or +154.5%) and "telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment" (by $29.2 billion or +50.4%).
Comparing the first eight months of 2026 with the same period in 2025, increases were registered in the values of total exports of most principal commodity divisions, in particular "electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, and electrical parts thereof" (by $818.2 billion or +50.6%), "office machines and automatic data processing machines" (by $237.1 billion or +51.5%) and "telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment" (by $191.0 billion or +49.2%).
Over the same period of comparison, increases were registered in the values of imports of most principal commodity divisions, in particular "electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, and electrical parts thereof" (by $800.3 billion or +49.3%), "telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment" (by $248.3 billion or +60.6%) and "office machines and automatic data processing machines" (by $170.6 billion or +44.1%).
Commentary
A Government spokesman said that merchandise exports continued to surge in August amid robust demand for AI-related electronic products, rising by 53.0% over a year earlier in value terms and recording the nineteenth consecutive month of double-digit growth. Exports to almost all major markets increased markedly.
Looking ahead, sustained global demand for AI-related electronic products is expected to continue to support Hong Kong's merchandise trade performance in the near term. Nonetheless, given the geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and continued protectionist trade measures among major advanced economies, the external environment remains uncertain and warrants close monitoring.
Further information
Table 1 presents the analysis of external merchandise trade statistics for August 2026. Table 2 presents the original monthly trade statistics from January 2023 to August 2026, and Table 3 gives the seasonally adjusted series for the same period.
The values of total exports of goods to 10 main destinations for August 2026 are shown in Table 4, whereas the values of imports of goods from 10 main suppliers are given in Table 5.
Tables 6 and 7 show the values of total exports and imports of 10 principal commodity divisions for August 2026.
All the merchandise trade statistics described here are measured at current prices and no account has been taken of changes in prices between the periods of comparison. A separate analysis of the volume and price movements of external merchandise trade for August 2026 will be released in mid-October 2026.
The August 2026 issue of "Hong Kong External Merchandise Trade" contains detailed analysis on the performance of Hong Kong's external merchandise trade in August 2026 and will be available in early October 2026. Users can browse and download the report at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1020005&scode=230).
Enquiries on merchandise trade statistics may be directed to the Trade Analysis Section of the C&SD (Tel.: 3863 2592).
Ends/Thursday, September 24, 2026
Issued at HKT 16:30
Issued at HKT 16:30
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