Retail sales rise 8.6% in April

Online retail sales jumped 30.6%, accounting for 9.7% of total retail sales during the month.

Total retail sales value rose 8.6% YoY to a provisional $31.4b in April 2026, according to the Census and Statistics Department.

For the first four months of 2026, total retail sales value increased 11.3% compared with the same period last year.

Online retail sales accounted for 9.7% of total retail sales in April. The value of online retail sales rose 30.6% YoY to a provisional $300m during the month.

For the first four months of the year, online retail sales increased 30.2% from a year earlier.

After adjusting for price changes, the volume of total retail sales rose 6.4% YoY in April. For the first four months of 2026, retail sales volume increased 9.0%.

By category, sales of motor vehicles and parts recorded the strongest increase at 46.1%, followed by electrical goods and other consumer durable goods at 21.9%, jewellery, watches and clocks, and valuable gifts at 19.8%, and other consumer goods at 14.2%.

Sales declines were recorded in fuels, which fell 11.7%, Chinese drugs and herbs, which dropped 8.5%, department stores, which decreased 6.7%, and footwear and allied products, which slipped 1.9%.

On a seasonally adjusted basis, the value of total retail sales rose 2.9% in the three months ending April compared with the preceding three-month period, whilst retail sales volume fell 2.0%.

A government spokesman said retail sales grew solidly in April, with most broad retail categories recording growth.

The government said the sector should continue to benefit from economic expansion, higher inbound visitors, and resilient consumption sentiment, but noted downside risks from geopolitical tensions.