The Hong Kong SAR government released the latest retail sales figures on the 2nd. The provisional estimate of the total retail sales value in September this year was HK $28 billion, up 7.3% year-on-year. The revised estimate of the value of total retail sales in August this year increased by 11.9% year-on-year. The provisional estimate of the value of total retail sales in the first three quarters of this year increased by 8% year-on-year. Among the total retail sales value in September this year, online sales accounted for 8%, and the retail online sales value in that month was temporarily estimated at HK $2.3 billion, a year-on-year increase of 30.5%. The revised estimate of retail online sales value in August this year increased by 17.6% year-on-year. The provisional estimate of the total online sales value of retail industry in the first three quarters of this year increased by 43.5% year-on-year. According to the provisional estimate of the value of sales by major categories of retailers, analyzed from high to low, the value of sales of electrical appliances and other unclassified consumer durables increased by 48.3% in September compared with the same period last year. This was followed by food, alcoholic beverages and tobacco (value of sales increased by 0.5%); Jewellery, watches and clocks and valuable gifts (up 16.2%). Comparing the third quarter of this year with the second quarter, the provisional estimate of the seasonally adjusted value of total retail sales increased by 3.7%, while the provisional estimate of the seasonally adjusted volume of total retail sales increased by 1.6%. A spokesman for the HKSAR government said that looking forward to the future, the epidemic situation in Hong Kong will remain stable and the employment and income situation will improve. In addition, the consumer voucher program will continue to support the retail industry in the short term. However, inbound tourism, which is close to freezing, will continue to restrict the degree of recovery. In order for the retail industry and the overall economy to recover more comprehensively, the community must strive to achieve more extensive vaccination. (outlook new era)