Hong Kong's total export posted a better-than-expected year-on-year growth of 24.7 percent in February, following the increase of 33.8 percent from a month ago, data from the Census and Statistics Department showed on Thursday.
The increase surpassed the market expectation of 22.3 percent, bringing the total value of exports to HK$408.8 billion.
Imports advanced 29.9 percent to HK$472.9 billion, compared with the growth of 38.1 percent in January and the market estimate of 25.4 percent.
The city recorded a visible trade deficit of HK$64.2 billion last month, equivalent to 13.6 percent of merchandise imports.
Exports to Asian markets continued to post solid growth, with exports to Malaysia increasing 121.9 percent, Singapore by 69.8 percent, Thailand by 36.9 percent, Taiwan by 33.4 percent, and mainland China by 21.9 percent.
In addition, exports to Switzerland, the Netherlands, and the United States showed strong performance, increasing 78.9 percent, 68.3 percent, and 38.8 percent, respectively.
Combined with the first two months in 2026, total exports increased by 29.6 percent over the same period in 2025, while imports grew by 34.1 percent.
Looking ahead, global demand for artificial intelligence-related electronic products should remain vibrant, rendering support to Hong Kong's merchandise trade performance, the department said.
Yet, uncertainty surrounding the global economic outlook has increased markedly of late amid the heightened geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, and shifts in trade policies among major advanced economies have also posed another source of lingering uncertainty, it added.
