The current diffusion index (DI) on business receipts amongst small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) increased slightly from 43.7 in the contractionary zone in September to 43.8 in October, the Census & Statistics Department announced today. Meanwhile, the outlook DI on business receipts for November stood at 46.8.

Analysed by sector, current DIs on business receipts for several surveyed sectors rose in October compared with the previous month, most notably in the import and export trades, which climbed from 43.3 to 44.9. Over the same period, the current DI on new orders for the import and export trades increased from 44.3 in September to 44.6 in October, with the outlook DI for November projected at 47.4.

The Government noted that SME business sentiment remained broadly stable in October, while the overall DI on employment improved for the second consecutive month.

Looking ahead, the Hong Kong economy has performed strongly so far this year and is expected to maintain solid growth, providing continued support for business confidence. However, persistent external uncertainties may continue to affect near-term sentiment, and the Government stated it will monitor the situation closely.