Hong Kong March retail sales soar 20.1% y/y as pandemic threat eases

HONG KONG - Hong Kong retail sales soared 20.1% in March from a year earlier, the second consecutive month of growth, boosted by an easing coronavirus threat and a low point of comparison early last year.

Sales surged to HK$27.6 billion ($3.55 billion), government data showed on Tuesday. That was compared with a 30% surge in February.

In volume terms, retail sales in March jumped 19.8% year-on-year, compared with a revised 31.6% surge in the previous month.

($1 = 7.7670 Hong Kong dollars)

(Reporting by Donny Kwok and Twinnie Siu; Editing by Andrew Heavens) ((donny.kwok@thomsonreuters.com; +852 2843 6470; Reuters Messaging: donny.kwok.reuters.com@reuters.net))