Hong Kong’s exports rose by nearly 43 per cent year on year in April, driven by strong global demand for artificial intelligence-related electronics, although the government warned that the Middle East war could cloud the near-term outlook.

Provisional figures released by the Census and Statistics Department on Thursday showed that the total value of exports rose by 42.9 per cent in April to HK$620.9 billion (US$79.3 billion), following a 35.8 per cent increase in March.

April’s surge represents the strongest annual growth in exports the city has recorded since January 2021, when total exports jumped by 44 per cent.

Imports, meanwhile, grew by 44.4 per cent to HK$650.4 billion, resulting in a trade deficit of HK$29.5 billion for the month, equivalent to 4.5 per cent of the value of imported goods.

For the first four months of 2026 combined, total exports rose by 35 per cent compared with the same period last year, while imports grew by 38.9 per cent.

A government spokesman said that despite the strong momentum, authorities were maintaining a cautious outlook for the rest of the year.

“Looking ahead, resilient global demand for AI-related electronic products should provide continued support to Hong Kong’s merchandise trade performance,” he said.