External merchandise trade statistics for April 2026
The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) released today (May 28) the external merchandise trade statistics for April 2026. In April 2026, the values of Hong Kong's total exports and imports of goods both recorded year-on-year increases, at 42.9% and 44.4% respectively.
In April 2026, the value of total exports of goods increased by 42.9% over a year earlier to $620.9 billion, after a year-on-year increase by 35.8% in March 2026. Concurrently, the value of imports of goods increased by 44.4% over a year earlier to $650.4 billion in April 2026, after a year-on-year increase by 41.2% in March 2026. A visible trade deficit of $29.5 billion, equivalent to 4.5% of the value of imports of goods, was recorded in April 2026.
For the first four months of 2026 as a whole, the value of total exports of goods increased by 35.0% over the same period in 2025. Concurrently, the value of imports of goods increased by 38.9%. A visible trade deficit of $198.0 billion, equivalent to 8.4% of the value of imports of goods, was recorded in the first four months of 2026.
Comparing the three-month period ending April 2026 with the preceding three months on a seasonally adjusted basis, the value of total exports of goods increased by 22.8%. Meanwhile, the value of imports of goods increased by 24.2%.
Analysis by country/territory
Comparing April 2026 with April 2025, total exports to Asia as a whole grew by 43.7%. In this region, increases were registered in the values of total exports to most major destinations, in particular Singapore (+126.3%), Thailand (+84.7%), Taiwan (+72.7%), Vietnam (+69.3%), Malaysia (+45.0%) and Chinese Mainland (the Mainland) (+40.7%).
Apart from destinations in Asia, increases were registered in the values of total exports to most major destinations in other regions, in particular Switzerland (+153.7%), the United Kingdom (+88.8%) and the USA (+37.5%).
Over the same period of comparison, increases were registered in the values of imports from most major suppliers, in particular Korea (+117.4%), India (+104.1%), Vietnam (+86.0%), the United Kingdom (+80.5%), Malaysia (+64.7%) and the Mainland (+46.8%).
Comparing the first four 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 (+84.6%), Malaysia (+67.9%), Taiwan (+60.4%), Thailand (+53.7%) and the Mainland (+36.6%).
Over the same period of comparison, increases were registered in the values of imports from most major suppliers, in particular the United Kingdom (+116.3%), India (+109.8%), Korea (+105.2%), Vietnam (+91.2%) and the Mainland (+43.5%).
Analysis by major commodity
Comparing April 2026 with April 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 $105.5 billion or +49.5%), "telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment" (by $26.5 billion or +54.6%) and "office machines and automatic data processing machines" (by $25.6 billion or +41.5%).
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 $97.6 billion or +46.8%), "telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment" (by $33.7 billion or +62.1%) and "miscellaneous manufactured articles (mainly jewellery, goldsmiths' and silversmiths' wares)" (by $21.8 billion or +95.4%).
Comparing the first four 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 $325.9 billion or +42.9%) and "telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment" (by $104.7 billion or +61.1%).
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 $328.8 billion or +43.6%), "telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment" (by $136.9 billion or +75.7%) and "non-ferrous metals" (by $76.5 billion or 279.4%).
Commentary
A Government spokesman said that merchandise exports surged further in April. The value of merchandise exports grew by 42.9% over a year earlier on the back of ongoing robust global demand for AI-related electronics products. In addition to the particularly strong export growth to Asian markets such as the Mainland and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, exports to the United States and the European Union also recorded very notable gains.
Looking ahead, resilient global demand for AI-related electronic products should provide continued support to Hong Kong's merchandise trade performance. Yet, heightened geopolitical tensions in the Middle East could pose a salient risk in the near term through disrupting supply chains, driving up transport costs and undermining global demand. The Government will continue to monitor the situation closely.
Further information
Table 1 presents the analysis of external merchandise trade statistics for April 2026. Table 2 presents the original monthly trade statistics from January 2023 to April 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 April 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 April 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 April 2026 will be released in mid-June 2026.
The April 2026 issue of "Hong Kong External Merchandise Trade" contains detailed analysis on the performance of Hong Kong's external merchandise trade in April 2026 and will be available in early June 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).
The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD), Photo source: reference image
