On August 14, the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region published its Half-Year Economic Report 2026, revising its full-year GDP growth forecast upward to a range of 3.5% to 4.5%. In the second quarter, GDP expanded by 4.3% year-on-year, while the first half of the year witnessed a 5.1% increase compared to the same period last year, hitting a near five-year peak. This surge was propelled by vibrant external trade and solid domestic demand, with significant appetite for AI-related electronic products driving export growth, complemented by a simultaneous rebound in trade in services and consumer spending.