No need to adjust GDP forecast

May 18, 2019

Financial Secretary Paul Chan: 

We are monitoring the situation of the US and China's trade negotiation very closely. The negotiation has been quite bumpy. Although lately there has been some negative news, we do think that it is premature to adjust our GDP forecast for the year at this stage. We will continue to follow our practice to update this forecast in August. 

In the meantime, we will monitor the situation very closely and we would like to remind the public that because of these changes in sentiment in the trade negotiation, the financial market may react quite volatilely. So watch out for risk and be careful.

Financial Secretary Paul Chan today said it is currently premature to adjust this year’s Gross Domestic Product forecast.

Speaking to reporters after attending a radio programme, Mr Chan said the Government is closely monitoring the Sino-US trade negotiation.

“The negotiation has been quite bumpy. Although lately there has been some negative news, we do think that it is premature to adjust our GDP forecast for the year at this stage. We will continue to follow our practice to update this forecast in August.”

He added the financial market could react quite volatilely to sentiment changes in the trade negotiation and reminded people to be cautious and watch out for risks when investing.