Hong Kong Financial Secretary: Over HKD 103 Billion Raised in Q1, Emerging Industries Like AI Flock to Hong Kong

On April 5, the Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government published an essay reflecting on the economy in the first quarter of 2026. It mentioned that the Hong Kong market is active, with an average daily trading volume exceeding HKD 260 billion in the first two months of this year, a 17% year-on-year increase. The market became even more vibrant in March, with the average daily trading volume of Hong Kong stocks surpassing HKD 300 billion, an increase of over 8% compared to the same period last year. Investors are increasing their asset allocation in Hong Kong, viewing it as a reliable safe haven for funds, alongside the stable growth of the mainland economy and the influx of high-quality companies listing in Hong Kong, providing ample investment opportunities. Meanwhile, global competition in cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence has intensified, requiring substantial financial support for core technology breakthroughs, the development of the upstream and downstream of the industrial chain, and the exploration of broader application scenarios. Hong Kong’s listing platform is playing a key role in this regard, with the IPO market continuing its strong performance from last year. As of March 27, the fundraising amount has exceeded HKD 103 billion, ranking first globally; including subsequent financing, the total fundraising scale is approximately HKD 237 billion. An increasing number of companies listing in Hong Kong belong to emerging industries such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors, robotics, autonomous driving, and biotechnology. Currently, there are over 500 applications waiting to list in Hong Kong. More companies view Hong Kong as an important window for financing and ‘going global’.