Second quarter service activity output up 6.3%

Net output for construction sector up 16.3% behind surge in public-sector works.

Hong Kong's net output in all service activities taken together rose 6.3% in the second quarter, the Census & Statistics Department says.

Net output in the wholesale, retail and import-export trades, plus the restaurants and hotels sector, grew 16.3%, following a 19.8% rise in the first quarter. The buoyancy in trade activities underpinned the strong growth.

For the transport, storage and communications sector, net output grew 10.8%, faster than a 5% rise in the first quarter. The accelerated growth was due to the robust passenger and cargo flows with the continued economic recovery, according to a Census & Statistics Department report.

Net output in the financing, insurance, real estate and business services sector rose 1.2%, compared with the 6.1% rise in the first quarter.

The community, social and personal services sector saw its net output rise 3.5%, following 4.5% growth in the first quarter. For the local manufacturing sector, net output rose 2.4%, after a 1% rise in the first quarter.Net output in the electricity, gas and water sector saw a 0.3% marginal increase, compared with 2.4% growth in the first quarter.

For the construction sector, net output increased significantly by 16.3%, as against the 0.6% marginal decrease in the first quarter. The growth was boosted by the marked surge in public-sector works.