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Balance of trade · Hong Kong

Hong Kong Balance of Trade

The Hong Kong Balance of Trade shows the difference between the value of goods (and sometimes services) that Hong Kong sells abroad and what it buys from abroad, or the growth of exports and imports.

Importance
Low
Released
Monthly
Next release
Currency
HKD · Hong Kong dollar
Central bank
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority
Moves
EURHKD# · USDHKD

Latest figures

The latest release for SEP, published on 28 October 2026, came in at H$-46.3B.

ReleasedForActualConsensusPrevious
28 Oct 2026SEPH$-46.3B–H$-71.2B
24 Sep 2026AUGH$-71.2B–H$-4.9B
25 Aug 2026JULH$-4.9B–H$-52B
25 Jun 2026MAYH$-44.2B–H$-29.5B
28 May 2026APRH$-29.5B–H$-89.1B
28 Apr 2026MARH$-89.1B–H$-64.2B
26 Mar 2026FEBH$-64.2B–H$-14.1B
27 Feb 2026JANH$-14.1B–H$-63.3B
27 Jan 2026DECH$-63.3B–H$-48.5B
29 Dec 2025NOVH$-48.5B–H$-39.9B
25 Nov 2025OCTH$-39.9B–H$-50.2B
27 Oct 2025SEPH$-50.2B–H$-25.4B

See it in the economic calendar →

Why it matters

Exports are a big part of demand for open economies (Germany, China, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands). A larger surplus means more foreign demand for the Hong Kong dollar; strong imports signal domestic demand. China's figures are read as a gauge of world demand.

How it is calculated

Customs records the value of goods crossing the border; services come from surveys. The balance is exports minus imports, usually seasonally adjusted.

Trade balance = exports − imports

What changes mean

  • Look at exports and imports separately: a wider surplus from collapsing imports is a sign of weak domestic demand, not strength.
  • Exchange-rate moves take months to affect trade volumes (the J-curve).

Higher than expected: A larger surplus (or smaller deficit) than expected tends to support the Hong Kong dollar.

Lower than expected: A smaller surplus (or larger deficit) than expected tends to weigh on the Hong Kong dollar.

A short history

Trade balances were the obsession of mercantilism in the 16th–18th centuries; David Hume's price-specie flow mechanism (1752) explained why surpluses tend to correct themselves.

The Hong Kong dollar is pegged to the US dollar, so the base rate follows the Fed.

Questions

What is the Hong Kong Balance of Trade?

The Hong Kong Balance of Trade shows the difference between the value of goods (and sometimes services) that Hong Kong sells abroad and what it buys from abroad, or the growth of exports and imports.

What was the latest Hong Kong Balance of Trade?

H$-46.3B for SEP, published on 28 October 2026.

When is the next Hong Kong Balance of Trade?

On Thursday 26 November 2026 at 08:30 UTC.

Educational content only, not investment advice. Figures are the published results as recorded by our calendar; market reactions described are typical, not guaranteed.