Hong Kong's near-term business outlook remained broadly stable in the first quarter of 2026, though sentiment softened slightly from the previous quarter, according to a survey released Friday by the Census and Statistics Department.
Across all surveyed sectors, 11% of respondents expected business conditions to improve in the first quarter, compared with 14% who anticipated a deterioration.
The proportion expecting better conditions eased from 13% in the previous quarter, while those expecting a worse outlook edged down from 15% to 14%.
By sector, respondents in most industries expected business conditions to weaken or remain broadly unchanged.
Construction, accommodation, and food services recorded a clear negative bias, with significantly more firms expecting deterioration.
In contrast, the financing and insurance sector stood out as the only segment where more respondents expected conditions to improve than worsen.
A government spokesman said the overall near-term business outlook among large enterprises was largely stable for the first quarter, although hiring appetite showed some slight easing.
Looking ahead, the spokesman said the continued positive momentum of the Hong Kong economy should support local business sentiment, while authorities remain vigilant to uncertainties in the external environment.
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