HONG KONG (Reuters) -Hong Kong’s retail sales by value rose by 0.7% in June from a year earlier, the second consecutive month of gains, government data showed on Thursday.
Sales increased to HK$30.1 billion ($3.8 billion). In May, retail sales rose 2.4% compared with the same month a year before.
In volume terms, June retail sales decreased 0.3% from a year earlier, compared with a 1.9% rise in May.
For the first half of 2025, the value of total retail sales decreased by 3.3% compared with the same period in 2024, and volume fell 4.7%.
“The government’s proactive efforts in promoting tourism and mega events and also enterprises’ strenuous effort in providing more diversified experiences would provide support to the consumption sentiment in the domestic market and businesses of the retail sector,” a government spokesperson said.
June visitor arrivals rose to 3.48 million, up 11% from the same month a year ago, data from the Hong Kong Tourism Board showed. That compared with 4.08 million in May, 3.85 million in April and 3.82 million in March.
The number of mainland Chinese visitors stood at 2.61 million in June, up 12% from a year ago. That compares to 3.12 million in May, 2.81 million in April and 2.75 million in March.
However, many visitors from mainland China are visiting only for a day and keeping a tight rein on spending. At the same time, local residents are spending more across the border, taking advantage of the Hong Kong dollar’s relative strength against the Chinese yuan.
Sales of jewellery, watches, clocks and valuable gifts rose 6.8% year-on-year in June after a 3.2% drop in May.
Sales of clothing, footwear and allied products fell 4.7% year-on-year in June after a 0.3% rise in May.
($1 = 7.8499 Hong Kong dollars)
(Reporting by Hong Kong newsroom; Editing by Sharon Singleton and Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
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