Retail sales extend gains with 4.6% rise in June

Online sales rose 11.6% to $3 billion, making up 9.4% of total retail spending. Retail sales increased by 4.6% year on year (YoY) to $31.5 billion in June, marking the 14th consecutive monthly rise, according to the Census & Statistics Department (C&SD). The first half of 2026 saw a 9.6% increase in retail sales value compared to the same period a year earlier. Retail sales volume, adjusted for inflation, rose by 2.3% in June. Jewellery, watches, clocks, and valuable gifts saw a 20.1% increase in June 2026 compared to the same period a year prior. Gains were also noted in electrical goods (+11.3%), consumer goods not elsewhere classified (+9.3%), furniture and fixtures (+5.1%), books, newspapers, stationery, and gifts (+2.6%), food, alcoholic drinks, and tobacco (+2.5%), and optical items (+2.1%). Clothing (+0.8%) and medicines and cosmetics (+0.6%) recorded modest increases. Conversely, sales of commodities in supermarkets dropped 1.1% YoY, footwear and related products declined by 1.4%, department stores fell by 4.2%, motor vehicles and parts by 4.3%, Chinese drugs and herbs by 4.9%, and fuels saw a significant drop of 15.3%. The department anticipates continued economic growth, rising local incomes, and increased inbound visitors to support retail sector expansion.