智通财经网·2025-10-06 09:39Core Viewpoint - Hong Kong's retail sales in August increased by 3.8% year-on-year to HKD 30.3 billion, marking the fourth consecutive month of growth, surpassing market expectations of 2% and the bank's forecast of 1% [1] Retail Sales Performance - The year-to-date retail sales decline narrowed to 1.9% for the first eight months, an improvement from the 2.6% decline in the first seven months [1] - The bank anticipates that retail sales for the entire year may stabilize at a flat level, primarily driven by an increase in visitor numbers to Hong Kong [1] Visitor Impact - The increase in retail sales is significantly attributed to the rise in visitor numbers, with mainland Chinese and long-haul travelers growing by 15% and 23% year-on-year, respectively [1] - The month also saw several large-scale events that contributed to the retail sales boost [1] Sector Performance - Luxury goods sales showed strong performance, likely due to increased spending by travelers and a low base effect, while essential goods sales remained weak [1] - Companies such as Wharf Real Estate Investment (01997) and Hysan Development (00014) may benefit from this trend, although there are concerns regarding rental pressure and increased shopping at mainland duty-free stores [1] - New World Development (00017) is expected to capture a larger market share in the Tsim Sha Tsui area [1]