Monetary Statistics for September 2026

Monetary Statistics for September 2026      
     Total loans and advances increased by 0.7 per cent in September, and increased by 7.7 per cent in the year to end-September. Among the total, loans for use in Hong Kong (including trade finance) and loans for use outside Hong Kong increased by 0.7 per cent and 0.6 per cent respectively in September. The Hong Kong dollar loan-to-deposit ratio increased to 70.3 per cent at the end of September from 69.3 per cent at the end of August, as Hong Kong dollar loans increased while Hong Kong dollar deposits decreased.
      
     For the third quarter of 2026 as a whole, loans for use in Hong Kong (including trade finance) increased by 0.8 per cent after increasing by 3.0 per cent in the previous quarter. Analysed by economic use, trade finance increased, while loans to building, construction, property development and investment decreased.
      
     Hong Kong dollar M2 and M3 both decreased by 0.8 per cent in September, while both increased by 7.5 per cent when compared to a year ago. The seasonally-adjusted Hong Kong dollar M1 decreased by 0.6 per cent in September, while it increased by 4.4 per cent compared to a year ago, reflecting in part investment-related activities. Total M2 and total M3 both increased by 0.4 per cent in September. Compared to a year earlier, total M2 and total M3 increased by 10.1 per cent and 10.0 per cent respectively.  
      
     As monthly monetary statistics are subject to volatilities due to a wide range of transient factors, such as seasonal funding demand as well as business and investment-related activities, caution is required when interpreting the statistics.